[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 26 (Thursday, March 12, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E365]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   CELEBRATING WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                       HON. CONSTANCE A. MORELLA

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 10, 1998

  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, March 8, women around the world 
observed International Women's Day and paid tribute to the women around 
the world who are being denied basic human rights. Today, members of 
Women's Caucus, with the leadership of our co-chairs, are joining with 
them on the floor of the House in their struggle for justice and equal 
treatment.
  In spite of our advances as we approach the 21st century, women 
around the world continue to be under attack. With increasing 
frequency, women are being used as tools of war, dehumanized not only 
for their gender, but also for their ethnicity and religious and 
cultural practices. In Algeria, women have been targeted for rape, they 
are raped and maimed and either casually killed, or kidnapped and 
forced into sexual servitude. The women of Afghanistan cannot work or 
go to school; they are not allowed out of their homes unescorted and 
must be covered from head to toe. In 1994 thousands of rapes, gang 
rapes, and rapes with objects such as sharpened sticks and gun barrels 
were carried out against Rwandan women by Hutu soldiers and members of 
the militia. Many Tutsi women were sexually mutilated or forced into 
sexual slavery, often after witnessing the torture and killing of their 
relatives and the destruction of their homes. Estimates from rape-
related pregnancies range from 2,000-5,000. To date, the perpetrators 
of these acts of sexual violence have not been brought to justice for 
the crimes.
  In too many countries, women either lack legal protection or the 
judicial system does not prosecute violations of those laws protecting 
their basic dignity. Female genital mutilation, one of the most 
horrific crimes inflicted upon women, has been performed on 85-114 
million girls worldwide. In Sudan 82% of women have had the most 
extreme form of female genital mutilation performed. It is estimated 
that untrained birth attendants perform 2/3 of the procedures. They 
typically have limited knowledge of hygiene and often use inadequately 
cleaned traditional instruments. Side effects include trauma, bleeding 
and hemorrhaging; pain, stress and shock; infections (which can be 
fatal); painful and difficult sexual relations; obstructed labor and 
difficult childbirth; and psychological trauma. This procedure is 
contrary to basic human rights and any rational health care and must be 
stopped.
  Women also continue to be subjected to the dehumanization of the sex 
industry. Each year in China, tens of thousands of mostly rural Chinese 
women are abducted or lured away from their homes by criminal networks 
promising work or travel. The women are then raped and beaten before 
being subjected to forced marriages to strangers or prostitution in 
Asia's sex industry centers, especially in Thailand or Taiwan. 
Approximately 10% of the female population of Thailand is in 
prostitution, although not enough to meet demand. Thai officials 
estimate that there are 20,000 women and girls trafficked from Burma to 
Thai brothels with 10,000 more imported each year, 10,000 women and 
girls from the Soviet Union and 5,000 from China.
  Mr. Speaker, these are but a few of the issues concerning women's 
rights and dignity that we in Congress must be addressing. We have done 
much, but we must do more. The most positive step which we could take 
is to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of 
Discrimination against women. This treaty, ratified by 161 countries, 
has been languishing before the Senate for 17 years. CEDAW will give 
the force of international law to our efforts on behalf of women's 
rights, and also give us the credibility to be taken seriously on this 
issue when we advocate with foreign governments on behalf of human 
rights.

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