[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 38 (Thursday, March 8, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1497-S1501]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I come to the floor to join my colleagues 
to mark International Women's Day. This day, which across the globe is 
celebrated in many different ways, is, at its core, a day to reflect on 
the achievements of women in politics, business, and society. It is a 
day to reflect on what a woman's role was in the not-so-distant past 
and to celebrate how far we have come. But, unfortunately, on this 
International Women's Day in the year 2012, we cannot celebrate the 
progress we have made without also acknowledging the unsettling truth 
that that progress is under threat.
  Today a shadow has been cast over this day of celebration by efforts 
to turn back the clock in Washington, DC, and across the country, 
efforts we all must fight against. Only 1 week ago in the Senate, we 
had a debate on the ability for women across this country to access 
contraceptives. It is a debate most women believed was settled half a 
century ago and one we had all hoped was in the past. However, in a 
scene that was eerily reminiscent of half a century ago, last week one 
woman brave enough to come forward and give voice to the importance of 
birth control was targeted. First, her story of a friend's battle with 
ovarian cancer was purposely left out of a House hearing on women's 
health. Then, as we have all heard, she was scorned and ridiculed by a 
rightwing pundit.
  It was a galvanizing and eye-opening moment for millions of women in 
our country. It was a reminder that some still see women as easy 
targets, and it awakened many women to the fact that the gains we are 
meant to celebrate on a day such as today could easily be lost to 
political strategy that preys on women.
  For many of those who watched the last few weeks play out, it may 
have seemed an isolated incident. It could appear to some as a sudden 
and swift effort by some Republicans--who thankfully have been blocked 
for the time being--but that is not case. The truth is, women's access 
to care has rarely been at greater risk. From the moment they came into 
power, the Republicans in the House of Representatives have been waging 
a war on women's health.
  If you don't believe me, look at the very first bills they introduced 
when they arrived. They campaigned across the country in the last 
election on a platform of jobs and the economy, but the first three 
bills they introduced when they got here were direct attacks on women's 
health. The very first one, H.R. 1, would have totally eliminated title 
X funding for family planning and teen pregnancy prevention. The 
amendment also included defunding Planned Parenthood and cutting off 
support for the millions of women who count on it. Another one of their 
bills would have permanently codified the Hyde amendment and the DC 
abortion ban.

  Finally, they introduced a bill that would have rolled back every 
single one of the gains we made for women in the health care reform 
bill. That Republican bill would have removed the caps on out-of-pocket 
expenses that literally protect women from losing their homes or their 
life savings if they get sick. It would have ended the ban on lifetime 
limits on coverage, which is so important to everyone. It would have 
allowed insurance companies to once again discriminate against women by 
charging them higher premiums than men or even denying women care 
because of so-called preexisting conditions they had, such as 
pregnancy. It would have rolled back the guarantee of insurance 
companies' coverage of contraceptives.
  Republicans have shown they will go to just about any length to limit 
access to women's care, even shutting down the Federal Government. That 
may seem extreme to all, but that is exactly what happened 1 year ago 
when Republicans nearly shut down the Federal Government over a rider 
that was yet another attempt to go after title X and Planned 
Parenthood. I remember sitting in those meetings late at night, after 
months of negotiations over the numbers in the budget, astonished that 
Republicans were willing to throw all those negotiations away over one 
issue, and that was their attack on women's health.
  The attack on women's rights is not just taking place in the Nation's 
Capital. In State after State across the country, legislators bent on 
putting politics between women and their health care are undoing years 
of important work. A recently enacted law in Texas not only strips 
women of their rights but of their dignity. It is a law about which 
Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times recently wrote a column.
  I ask unanimous consent to have the article written by Nicholas 
Kristof, ``When States Abuse Women,'' printed in the Record at the 
conclusion of my remarks.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  (See exhibit 1.)
  Mrs. MURRAY. It is a law that all women across the country should be 
insulted by and outraged over. Today, nearly 40 years after Roe v. Wade 
was passed, a woman in Texas who seeks an abortion--one of the most 
difficult choices a woman and her family can face--is not met with 
compassion and care but with humiliation, and that is because they have 
passed a law by Republicans that she is now subjected, against her 
will, to a vaginal ultrasound. Then she is instructed to listen to a 
fetal heartbeat, watch the ultrasound and numerous other State-mandated 
hurdles and then she has to go home and wait 24 hours before she can 
access a health care procedure that was made a right for women four 
decades ago.
  One would think that after 2 years spent railing against any 
government involvement in health care, Republicans would not want the 
State to dictate procedures a doctor must perform on a woman, whether 
she wants them or not, but then you would be confused because, clearly, 
when it comes to women and their health care choices, these Republicans 
are willing to do whatever it takes for them to call the shots--not the 
women, not their doctors, not their families. The sad part is other 
States across the country are now contemplating similar laws.
  So the threats to women's health care are very real and they are 
growing. We saw it on a panel on contraceptives in the House that 
didn't include a woman on the panel. We saw it in a young woman being 
called horrible names for telling the stories of a friend

[[Page S1498]]

in need. We see it in Republican efforts to allow an employer to 
dictate whether a woman has access to contraceptives, and we are seeing 
it in State laws across the country aimed at stripping women of their 
rights and more.
  So on this International Women's Day, we celebrate our gains with the 
clear understanding that they must always be defended, and we join with 
women everywhere to make sure that progress is not reversed.

                               Exhibit 1

                   [The New York Times, Mar. 3, 2012]

                        When States Abuse Women

                        (By Nicholas D. Kristof)

       Here's what a woman in Texas now faces if she seeks an 
     abortion.
       Under a new law that took effect three weeks ago with the 
     strong backing of Gov. Rick Perry, she first must typically 
     endure an ultrasound probe inserted into her vagina. Then she 
     listens to the audio thumping of the fetal heartbeat and 
     watches the fetus on an ultrasound screen.
       She must listen to a doctor explain the body parts and 
     internal organs of the fetus as they're shown on the monitor. 
     She signs a document saying that she understands all this, 
     and it is placed in her medical files. Finally, she goes home 
     and must wait 24 hours before returning to get the abortion.
       ``It's state-sanctioned abuse,'' said Dr. Curtis Boyd, a 
     Texas physician who provides abortions. ``It borders on a 
     definition of rape. Many states describe rape as putting any 
     object into an orifice against a person's will. Well, that's 
     what this is. A woman is coerced to do this, just as I'm 
     coerced.''
       ``The state of Texas is waging war on women and their 
     families,'' Dr. Boyd added. ``The new law is demeaning and 
     disrespectful to the women of Texas, and insulting to the 
     doctors and nurses who care for them.''
       That law is part of a war over women's health being fought 
     around the country--and in much of the country, women are 
     losing. State by state, legislatures are creating new 
     obstacles to abortions and are treating women in ways that 
     are patronizing and humiliating.
       Twenty states now require abortion providers to conduct 
     ultrasounds first in some situations, according to the 
     Guttmacher Institute, a research organization. The new Texas 
     law is the most extreme to take effect so far, but similar 
     laws have been passed in North Carolina and Oklahoma and are 
     on hold pending legal battles.
       Alabama, Kentucky, Rhode Island and Mississippi are also 
     considering Texas-style legislation bordering on state-
     sanctioned rape. And what else do you call it when states 
     mandate invasive probes in women's bodies?
       ``If you look up the term rape, that's what it is: the 
     penetration of the vagina without the woman's consent,'' said 
     Linda Coleman, an Alabama state senator who is fighting the 
     proposal in her state. ``As a woman, I am livid and 
     outraged.''
       States put in place a record number of new restrictions on 
     abortions last year, Guttmacher says. It counts 92 new curbs 
     in 24 states.
       ``It was a debacle,'' Elizabeth Nash, who manages state 
     issues for Guttmacher, told me. ``It's been awful. Last year 
     was unbelievable. We've never seen anything like it.''
       Yes, there have been a few victories for women. The 
     notorious Virginia proposal that would have required vaginal 
     ultrasounds before an abortion was modified to require only 
     abdominal ultrasounds.
       Yet over all, the pattern has been retrograde: humiliating 
     obstacles to abortions, cuts in family-planning programs, and 
     limits on comprehensive sex education in schools.
       If Texas legislators wanted to reduce abortions, the 
     obvious approach would be to reduce unwanted pregnancies. The 
     small proportion of women and girls who aren't using 
     contraceptives account for half of all abortions in America, 
     according to Guttmacher. Yet Texas has some of the weakest 
     sex-education programs in the nation, and last year it cut 
     spending for family planning by 66 percent.
       The new Texas law was passed last year but was held up 
     because of a lawsuit by the Center for Reproductive Rights. 
     In a scathing opinion, Judge Sam Sparks of Federal District 
     Court described the law as ``an attempt by the Texas 
     legislature to discourage women from exercising their 
     constitutional rights.'' In the end, the courts upheld the 
     law, and it took effect last month.
       It requires abortion providers to give women a list of 
     crisis pregnancy centers where, in theory, they can get 
     unbiased counseling and in some cases ultrasounds. In fact, 
     these centers are often set up to ensnare pregnant women and 
     shame them or hound them if they are considering abortions.
       ``They are traps for women, set up by the state of Texas,'' 
     Dr. Boyd said.
       The law then requires the physician to go over a 
     politicized list of so-called dangers of abortion, like ``the 
     risks of infection and hemorrhage'' and ``the possibility of 
     increased risk of breast cancer.'' Then there is the mandated 
     ultrasound, which in the first trimester normally means a 
     vaginal ultrasound. Doctors sometimes seek vaginal 
     ultrasounds before an abortion, with the patient's consent, 
     but it's different when the state forces women to undergo the 
     procedure.
       The best formulation on this topic was Bill Clinton's, that 
     abortion should be ``safe, legal and rare.'' Achieving that 
     isn't easy, and there is no silver bullet to reduce unwanted 
     pregnancies. But family planning and comprehensive sex 
     education are a surer path than demeaning vulnerable women 
     with state-sanctioned abuse and humiliation.

  I yield the floor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Maryland.
  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I thank Senator Murray for her comments, 
and I concur in her observations. What we have seen on women's health 
care issues in this body is how some are trying to turn the clock back 
on the progress we have made. I was listening to my colleague talk 
about ultrasounds. Virginia just enacted an ultrasound bill this week. 
The Governor signed it into law, so this is spreading to other States. 
We talk about big government, but the government mandating ultrasounds 
for pregnant women? This is outrageous and something that on 
International Women's Day, it is right that we bring this to the 
attention of our colleagues. We have seen the same type of action taken 
against family planning, contraceptives, those who want to repeal Roe 
v. Wade. We have to stand strong with women and women's health care 
issues as we in America lead the international community.
  Around the world, International Women's Day is an occasion to honor 
and praise women for their accomplishments. On this International 
Women's Day, I stand with my colleagues to celebrate women who are 
making a difference both in America and around the world, in countries 
where they lead in the fight for justice, equality, and fairness for 
all women. All of us, women and men alike, can help by supporting 
women's efforts to claim their legal rights, live free from violence, 
earn a decent income, get an education, grow food for their families, 
and make their voices heard in their communities and beyond.
  I believe in the power of women to change the world and to help them 
hasten that change. U.S. international assistance policies should 
address and remove barriers between women, women's rights, and economic 
empowerment. Empowering women is one of the most critical tools in our 
toolbox to fight poverty and injustice. Integrating the unique needs of 
women into our domestic and international policies is critical. As 
chairman of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on International 
Development and Foreign Assistance, Economic Affairs, and International 
Environmental Protection, I can attest that this must be the bedrock of 
our foreign assistance programming if it is to be successful.
  I defy anyone's assertion that women's empowerment should take a 
backseat to so-called more important priorities. Decades of research 
and experience prove that when women are able to be fully engaged in 
society and hold decisionmaking power, they are more likely to invest 
their income in food, clean water, education, and health care for their 
children. This creates a positive cycle change that lifts entire 
families and communities and nations out of poverty. Simply put, when 
women succeed, we all do.
  Accordingly, I was very pleased by last week's release of the new 
USAID ``Policy on Gender Equality and Female Empowerment,'' which makes 
integrating gender and including women and girls central to all U.S. 
international assistance. This policy, which updates guidelines that 
were over 30 years old, recognizes that the integration of women and 
girls is basic to effective international assistance across all sectors 
such as food, security, health, climate change, science, technology, 
economic growth, democracy and governance and humanitarian assistance. 
It aims to increase the capacity of women and girls and decrease 
inequality between genders and also decrease gender-based violence. 
This new policy is as welcomed as it is necessary. As Secretary Clinton 
declared earlier this year:

       Achieving our objectives for global development will demand 
     accelerated efforts to achieve gender equality and women's 
     empowerment. Otherwise, peace and prosperity will have their 
     own glass ceiling.

  Unfortunately, as we know, there are still places this glass ceiling 
exists and there are major obstacles to women. Worldwide, one in three 
women will experience some form of violence in her

[[Page S1499]]

lifetime. Women and girls in emergencies, conflict settings, and 
natural disasters often face extreme violence, including being forced 
to exchange sex for food. The World Health Organization has reported 
that up to 70 percent of women in some countries describe having been 
victims of domestic violence at some stage in their lives.
  The United States has the potential to be a true leader in preventing 
and responding to violence against women and girls--an issue that is 
inextricably linked to U.S. diplomacy, development, and national 
security goals.
  What many people fail to realize is that violence against women and 
girls is both a major consequence and cause of poverty. Violence and 
poverty go hand in hand. Violence prevents women and girls from getting 
an education, going to work, and earning the income they need to lift 
their families out of poverty. We know that one in three women will be 
the victim of sexual abuse in her lifetime. But we also know that women 
have the potential to lift their families and communities out of 
poverty.
  Violence against women and girls is an extreme human rights 
violation, a public health epidemic, and a barrier to solving severe 
challenges such as extreme poverty, HIV/AIDS, and conflict. It 
devastates the lives of millions of women and girls--in peacetime and 
in conflict--and knows no national and cultural barriers.
  Today let's reaffirm our commitment to end gender-based 
discrimination in all forms, to end violence against women and girls 
worldwide, and to encourage the people of the United States to observe 
International Women's Day. On this day and every day, I am proud to 
stand in support of women across America and worldwide.
  Investing in and focusing on empowering women and girls is one of the 
most efficient uses of our foreign assistance dollars and one of the 
best ways to make the world more peaceful and prosperous. As Secretary 
of State Clinton pointed out more than 15 years ago, ``Women's rights 
are human rights''--and nothing is more fundamental, in my opinion.
  With that, Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from New Hampshire.
  Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, I am very pleased to join my colleagues 
Senator Cardin and, earlier, Senator Murray this morning in 
commemorating International Women's Day. It is a day observed around 
the world, and it celebrates the economic, political, and social 
achievement of women--past, present, and future. It is a day that 
recognizes the obstacles women still face in the struggle for equal 
rights and equal opportunities.
  One year ago today, I, along with a group of bipartisan Senators, 
introduced and passed a resolution in the Senate recognizing the 
significance of the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day. 
Today is the 101st anniversary and, as is the centennial milestone 
before it, it is a testament to the dedication and determination of 
women and men around the world to address gender inequality for the 
good of all people.
  There are more than 3.3 billion women in the world today. Across the 
globe, women are participating in the political, social, and economic 
life of their communities in an unprecedented fashion, playing a 
critical role in providing and caring for their families, contributing 
substantially to the growth of economies, and advancing food security 
for their communities.
  Yesterday I had the wonderful, humbling, and inspiring opportunity to 
recognize and celebrate the 10 recipients of the 2012 State Department 
International Women of Courage Award. This prestigious award, which is 
the only award in the State Department given only to women, annually 
recognizes women who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in 
advocating for women's rights and empowerment around the globe, often 
at significant risk to themselves. These award winners, including 
activists in the Sudan and Saudi Arabia, politicians in Turkey and 
Afghanistan, and representatives from six other countries, are truly 
remarkable and inspirational women.
  I ask unanimous consent to have all of their names and brief bios 
printed in the Record so that they are properly recognized by the 
Senate.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                              Afghanistan

       Maryam Durani--Director, Khadija Kubra Women's Association 
     for Culture, Kandahar Provincial Council Member.
       Award Citation: ``For striving to give a voice to women 
     through the power of the media, government, and civil 
     society, despite innumerable security and societal 
     challenges.''
       Bio: Kandahar Province is among Afghanistan's most 
     conservative and most dangerous--but that has not stopped 
     Maryam Durani from speaking out for the rights of Afghan 
     women and girls. As a member of Kandahar's Provincial 
     Council, director of the non-profit Khadija Kubra Women's 
     Association for Culture, and owner and manager of the only 
     local, female-focused radio station, she is both a leader and 
     a role model for women throughout Afghanistan. A true woman 
     of courage, Ms. Durani has survived multiple attacks on her 
     life, including a suicide attack in 2009 that resulted in 
     serious injury. Although she continues to face regular 
     threats, she is undeterred in her mission to promote basic 
     civil rights for all Afghans.
                                  ____


                                 Brazil

       Major Pricilla de Oliveira Azevedo--General Coordinator for 
     Strategic Programs, Rio de Janeiro State Secretariat of 
     Public Security, and Major of Rio State Military Police.
       Award Citation: ``For courageous and dedicated service to 
     Rio State's innovative ``Favela Pacification Program'' as the 
     first female commander of a Pacification Police Unit 
     (community police station), and as coordinator of UPPs in the 
     State Security Secretariat, where she is integrating 
     previously marginalized populations into the larger Rio de 
     Janeiro community.''
       Bio: Pricilla de Oliveira Azevedo is a military police 
     officer, currently working as General Coordinator of 
     Strategic Programs for the ``Police Pacification Units'' 
     (UPPs), Rio de Janeiro State Secretariat of Public Security's 
     renowned ``favela'' (slum) pacification program. Major 
     Azevedo joined the Rio de Janeiro Military police in 1998 
     and, following her graduation in 2000, started working in 
     police battalions and street repression operations. In 2007, 
     Major Azevedo demonstrated extreme courage and commitment to 
     her duties by successfully arresting a gang of criminals who 
     had kidnapped her.
       As a result of her courage and success, the Rio de Janeiro 
     State Secretary for Security invited her to head the first 
     UPP in Rio de Janeiro, in the ``favela'' of Santa Marta, a 
     position she occupied between 2008 to 2010. In this capacity, 
     she commanded 125 military police officers in an area with 
     9,000 inhabitants and a very low human development index. 
     During her two years in Santa Marta, Major Azevedo shut down 
     drug dealing operations in the favela, established conflict 
     mediation models, worked with state and local government 
     institutions to improve garbage collection and health care, 
     broadened education and technical training opportunities, and 
     developed a successful community arts and crafts fair.
       In 2009, Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes invited Major 
     Pricilla to become a member of the Brazilian delegation in 
     the 2016 Olympics Announcement in Copenhagen. In the same 
     year she completed training on Koban community policing 
     techniques, and participated in a citizen safety training in 
     Israel. Major Azevedo is currently completing her law degree 
     in Estacio de Sa University.
       Major Azevedo is the most senior female officer in the UPP 
     program, and the first woman to occupy a strategic position 
     in the Rio de Janeiro State Secretariat of Security's 
     Superintendence of Operational Planning. She has received 
     honor awards from the city councils of Rio de Janeiro, Tangua 
     and Itaborai. She is also a recipient of the United Nations 
     Brazilian Force's 50th Anniversary Medal. In 2009, Veja 
     Magazine gave Major Pricilla Azevedo the Rio de Janeiro 
     Personality of the Year Award, with the title of ``Defender 
     of the City''.
                                  ____


                                 Burma

       Zin Mar Aung--Democracy Activist.
       Award Citation: ``For championing democracy, strengthening 
     civil society, and empowering individuals to contribute 
     meaningfully to the political transformation of Burma.''
       Bio: Zin Mar Aung is a former political prisoner, 
     imprisoned for eleven years because of her political 
     activism. She has dedicated her life to promdting democracy, 
     women's empowerment, and conflict resolution in Burma. 
     Following her involvement in the 1996 and 1998 pro-democracy 
     student uprisings and subsequent imprisonment, Zin Mar Aung 
     established a cultural impact studies group to promote the 
     idea that democracy is compatible with Asian culture. She 
     also created and leads a self-help association for female ex-
     political prisoners and a school of political science in 
     Rangoon, all of which teach and empower others in Burma's 
     changing but still challenging environment for civil society 
     and democracy activists. She is co-founder of RAINFALL, a 
     women's empowerment group; and is currently spearheading an 
     organization to raise awareness of issues affecting ethnic 
     minorities in conflict areas.

[[Page S1500]]

     
                                  ____
                                Colombia

       Jineth Bedoya Lima--Journalist and Spokeswoman of the 
     ``Rape and Other Violence: Take my Body Out of the War'' 
     Campaign.
       Award Citation: ``For her unfailing courage, determination, 
     and perseverance fighting for justice and speaking out on 
     behalf of victims of sexual violence in Colombia.''
       Bio: Throughout her 15-year career as an investigative 
     journalist, Jineth Bedoya has consistently sought out tough 
     assignments, despite knowing the risks it could entail. In 
     2000, she began to uncover an arms smuggling network between 
     government security forces and imprisoned paramilitaries in a 
     maximum security prison. On May 25, 2000, as she arrived at 
     the prison to interview a key paramilitary member, unknown 
     men grabbed Jineth, threw her into a vehicle, drugged her, 
     and drove her to a farm several hours outside Bogota. There, 
     the men repeatedly raped her, bound her, and left her in a 
     garbage dump at the side of a road where a taxi driver 
     discovered her later that evening. As the men raped her, they 
     told her, ``Pay attention. We are sending a message to the 
     press in Colombia.'' Since this horrifying incident nearly 12 
     years ago, Jineth has continued her work as an investigative 
     journalist while pushing for justice in her own case and 
     other unsolved cases of sexual violence. Jineth has become an 
     inspiration not only for female journalists, but for all 
     women who are demanding justice in their own cases. Since 
     September 2009, she has served as spokeswoman of Oxfam's 
     campaign, ``Rape and Other Violence: Take my Body out of the 
     War.'' She now appears in TV ads denouncing sexual violence 
     as part of the campaign and has used her journalistic 
     influence to draw more attention to the issues of sexual 
     violence and impunity.
                                  ____


                                 Libya

       Hana Elhebshi--Freelance Activist.
       Award Citation: ``For courageous advancement of the cause 
     of freedom of expression and promotion of women's rights 
     during times of conflict and transition in Libya.''
       Bio: Ms. Hana El Hebshi is a 26-year-old Libyan architect 
     who, during the long months of the Libyan revolution, became 
     a symbol of solidarity and a model of courage to many across 
     the country. Working under the pseudonym ``Numidia,'' a 
     reference to the ancient Berber kingdom and to her own Berber 
     heritage, Hana contributed greatly to proper documentation of 
     the violence and tumult of the revolution. She also became a 
     symbol of hope to the Libyan people that the world was aware 
     of the suffering they were enduring and that hope was on the 
     way.
       Thanks to her contribution to freedom of expression and 
     advancing women's rights, she became a real symbol for the 
     Libyan women's contribution to the revolution.
       Post revolution, Hana, in addition to her work as an 
     architect, will continue to play a leadership role in women's 
     empowerment in Libya.
                                  ____


                                Maldives

       Aneesa Ahmed--Founder Member and Chairperson, Hope for 
     Women NGO.
       Award Citation: ``For courageous advocacy for women's 
     rights and protection from domestic violence.''
       Bio: Aneesa Ahmed stands out as a staunch advocate for 
     ending gender-based violence in Maldives. While serving as 
     Deputy Minister of Women's Affairs, Ms. Ahmed raised the 
     issue of domestic violence at a time when the subject was 
     taboo in Maldives. As a member of the National Women's 
     Council, she held focus group discussions and worked with a 
     local NGO to produce a series of short documentary films on 
     domestic violence that had a profound impact on altering 
     public views of domestic violence. In 2009, Ms. Ahmed played 
     an instrumental role in organizing a coalition of NGOs and 
     individuals who are advocating pioneering legislation on 
     domestic violence that is currently before the Maldivian 
     parliament. After leaving government service, she founded the 
     NGO ``Hope for Women'' and began conducting interactive 
     sessions on gender-based violence with high school students, 
     Maldives Police Services, and other frontline workers. When 
     religious scholars began identifying female circumcision as a 
     Sunnah in Islam on national radio, Ms. Ahmed asked the 
     government to intervene, and gave an interview to a local 
     news channel about the harmful effects of female 
     circumcision. By openly discussing issues like domestic 
     violence and female circumcision, and conducting awareness 
     workshops through Hope for Women NGO, Ms. Ahmed plays a key 
     role in bringing these issues into the public discourse and 
     pressing the government to take action.
                                  ____


                                Pakistan

       Shad Begum--Executive Director, Anjuman Behbood-e-Khawateen 
     Talash.
       Award Citation: ``For fearlessly championing Pakistani 
     women's political and economic rights and empowering the 
     disadvantaged and oppressed.''
       Bio: Shad Begum is a courageous human rights activist and 
     leader who has changed the political context for women in the 
     extremely conservative district of Dir. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 
     As founder and executive director of Anjuman Behbood-e-
     Khawateen Talash (the Union of Women's Welfare), Ms. Shad 
     provides political training, microcredit, primary education, 
     and health services to women in the most conservative areas 
     of Pakistan. Ms. Shad not only empowered the women of Dir to 
     vote and run for office, but she herself ran and won local 
     District Councilor seats in the 2001 and 2005 elections, 
     going against local conservatives who tried to ban female 
     participation. Despite numerous direct threats to her life 
     and her family, including recent calls for suicide attacks 
     against her by local extremists, Ms. Shad continues to work 
     out of Peshawar to improve the lives of women in the 
     communities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
                                  ____


                              Saudi Arabia

       Samar Badawi--Human Rights Activist, Monitor of Human 
     Rights in Saudi Arabia.
       Award Citation: ``For demonstrating significant courage in 
     her activism while becoming a champion in the struggle for 
     women's suffrage and legal rights in Saudi Arabia.''
       Bio: In one of the world's most restrictive environments 
     for women, Samar Badawi is a powerful voice for two of the 
     most significant issues facing Saudi women: women's suffrage 
     and the guardianship system, under which women cannot marry, 
     work, or travel outside the country without the permission of 
     a guardian (male relative). In a landmark case, Badawi was 
     the first woman to sue her guardian (her father) for abusing 
     the legal system and preventing her from marrying the suitor 
     of her choice. Badawi is also the first woman to file a 
     lawsuit against the government demanding the right for women 
     to vote and participate in municipal elections. She launched 
     an online campaign to encourage other Saudi women to file 
     similar suits. The efforts of activists like Badawi helped 
     encourage a royal decree allowing women to vote and run for 
     office in future municipal elections, and to be appointed to 
     the Consultative Council.
                                  ____


                                 Sudan

       Hawa Abdallah Mohammed Salih--Human Rights Activist.
       Award Citation: ``For giving a voice to the women and 
     children of Darfur and her fearless advocacy for the rights 
     of all marginalized Darfuris.''
       Bio: Hailing from North Darfur, Hawa and her family were 
     forced to flee their home village in 2003 due to fighting 
     between Darfuri rebels and gonrnwt forces. As a result, she 
     spent much of her young adult life in Abu Shouk internally 
     displaced persons (IDP) camp in El Fasher, North Darfur, 
     where she emerged as a prominent human rights activist. After 
     graduating from the University of El Fasher, she worked on 
     issues of human rights, rule of law, and governance with the 
     United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and assisted 
     various NGOs working on human rights. Hawa became a voice for 
     the IDPs, speaking out about human rights abuses and 
     advocating for women's and children's rights in the IDP 
     camps. For her advocacy, Hawa has been persecuted and 
     detained on multiple occasions by the Government of Sudan. As 
     a result, she was forced to flee Sudan in 2011. In spite of 
     the personal harassment and political challenges that she has 
     faced, Hawa hopes to return to her homeland to continue 
     defending the rights of Darfuris, and in particular the 
     rights of women and children.
                                  ____


                                 Turkey

       Safak Pavey--Member of Parliament, Turkish General National 
     Assembly.
       Award Citation: ``For her personal dignity and courage not 
     only in overcoming physical disabilities, but also emerging 
     as an effective local and global champion of the rights of 
     women, minority groups, refugees and disabled persons.''
       Bio: Safak Pavey, the first disabled woman elected to the 
     Turkish Parliament, has demonstrated great personal dignity 
     in overcoming physical obstacles each and every day, while 
     locally and globally championing the rights of vulnerable 
     populations, including refugees and disabled persons. Whether 
     working in extreme conditions for the United Nations High 
     Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) in the Middle East, South Asia 
     and Africa, or acting as a lightning rod to spark the UN 
     Interagency Support Group for the Convention on the Rights of 
     Persons with Disabilities, Pavey has sought to turn her 
     disability into strength on a global level. Undaunted by her 
     own challenges, she is also an agent of change at home. Pavey 
     endeavored to foster acceptance for the Armenian community in 
     Turkey, and is one of a small number of non-Armenians who 
     wrote for the Armenian Turkish newspaper, Agos. After winning 
     a seat in the Turkish parliament in June 2011, Pavey is 
     continuing to empower and give voice to disabled persons, 
     women, and minority populations.

  Mrs. SHAHEEN. This morning I wish to pick just one of these amazing 
women and tell her story.
  Shad Begum is the executive director of the Union of Women's Welfare 
in one of the most extremely conservative districts in all of Pakistan. 
As the founder and executive director of the program the Union of 
Women's Welfare, she provides political training, microcredit, primary 
education, and health services to women throughout her community. She 
not only encouraged others to run for office, she herself ran for a 
district counselor seat in 2001 and 2005, winning the seat against 
local conservatives who tried to ban

[[Page S1501]]

women from participating. Despite numerous threats to her life and her 
family, including calls for suicide attacks against her by local 
extremists, she continues to work to improve the lives of women 
throughout Pakistan.
  Ms. Shad is one of 10 remarkable women the State Department honored 
this year. Every one of these 10 stories is inspirational, but they 
also represent literally millions of women around the globe who are out 
there fighting and suffering to be heard. There are countless women who 
don't receive the recognition they deserve and who continue to be 
silenced by persecution and harassment. Today we recognize, honor, and 
celebrate all of those nameless, faceless women around the world who 
are continuing the fight.
  Far too many women remain excluded from full participation in 
society, to the detriment of their communities, their countries, and 
the world. Although strides have been made in recent decades, women 
across the globe continue to face significant obstacles in all aspects 
of their lives, including the denial of basic human rights, 
discrimination, and gender-based violence. According to the World Bank, 
women make up 70 percent of all individuals living in poverty. Women 
account for 64 percent of the adults worldwide who lack basic literacy 
skills. Women continue to remain vastly underrepresented in national 
and local governments around the world.
  So there is no doubt that we have a lot of work to do, but all of 
society benefits when women are more fully integrated into their 
communities and their villages around the world. In the words of 
President Obama, ``Our common prosperity will be advanced by allowing 
all humanity--men and women--to reach their full potential.''
  As we reflect on the past, present, and future achievements of women, 
I believe it is important to recognize the vital and untapped resource 
that women represent for our world. The ability of women to realize 
their full potential is critical to the ability of a nation to achieve 
strong and lasting economic growth, political and social stability, and 
enhanced security for all its people.
  Thank you very much, Mr. President. I yield the floor and note the 
absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. President, I would also like to ask the permission 
of the Chair to display this box during my remarks.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. ISAKSON. Thank you, Mr. President.

                          ____________________