[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 190 (Monday, December 3, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1595]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN RECOGNITION OF THE 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM AGAINST GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. LOIS FRANKEL

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, December 3, 2018

  Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, today we recognize the 16 Days 
of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, a campaign to raise 
awareness and spur action to end violence against women and girls.
  Over the past year, with the explosion of the #MeToo and Time's Up 
movements, women around the world have come forward with their own 
harrowing stories of sexual violence--an abuse of power that often 
causes emotional and physical distress and harms their ability to care 
for their family. One in three women worldwide will experience gender-
based violence in their lifetimes, ranging from sexual violence and 
human trafficking to harmful practices like child marriage. The 
statistics are staggering--nearly 39,000 girls under 18 are married 
each day and over 200 million women and girls have been subjected to 
female genital mutilation.
  Gender-based violence continues to hold women back from reaching 
their full potential. In 2012, the United States government released 
the Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence Globally, 
marking ending violence against women and girls as top diplomatic and 
foreign assistance priorities. On the 16 Days of Activism against 
Gender-Based Violence, let's reinforce our commitment to ensuring the 
safety of women and girls and recommit to women's empowerment 
worldwide.
  Remember this: when women and girls succeed, their nations succeed.

                          ____________________