[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Pages 3747-3753]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 74, submitted earlier 
today by Senators Biden, Clinton, Lugar, Kohl, and others.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 74) designating March 8, 2005, as 
     ``International Women's Day.''

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. DURBIN. Today, March 8, is International Women's Day. This day 
provides a special opportunity for us to reflect on the status of women 
throughout the world and to think about what we can do to improve the 
health and well-being of some of the world's most vulnerable women.
  Today, I would like us to think about Uganda, where I sat on a porch 
with mothers who were HIV-positive. These mothers were gathering 
scrapbooks, photos, notes, and little memorabilia of their lives to 
leave to their children. Their children, playing in the yard, had 
already lost one parent, and were now about to lose a second.
  I would like us to think about South Africa, where I saw women 
waiting for hours on wooden benches, inside a clinic made from old rail 
cars, in the hope that they might be sick enough to qualify for 
antiretroviral treatment for HIV.
  And, I would like us to think about Bangladesh, where I saw women who 
had known nothing but poverty, but who, thanks to a tiny loan, had 
become entrepreneurs. They were offering cell phone service to their 
villages, made possible by their ownership of a single, solar-powered 
cell phone.
  The stories of women like these from around the world are often 
stories of great sadness, but also stories of hope. The health and 
economic well-being of these women and their families are deeply 
intertwined. If we can improve one, we may be able to improve the other 
as well.
  The connection between health and economic well-being is clearly 
apparent in two areas of international assistance: fighting HIV/AIDS, 
and providing family planning.
  Women are now the face of AIDS in many parts of the world. In sub-
Saharan Africa, 57 percent of those infected with HIV are women. 
Younger women are at particular risk. They are three times more likely 
than young men to be infected. This striking statistic, according to 
Stephen Lewis, the United Nations Secretary General's Special Envoy for 
HIV/AIDS in Africa, ``is unprecedented in the history of the pandemic 
and . . . perhaps the most ominous warning of what is yet to come.''
  HIV/AIDS exploits and widens the inequities that make women more 
vulnerable. Women may have fewer economic opportunities, making them 
dependent on others for simple survival. When a family's resources are 
limited, any available money may go first for care and treatment for 
the men. Where women do not have rights to property, a husband's death 
can leave a widow and her children with literally nothing except 
infection with HIV. Women are also too often at risk for sexual 
violence and coercion.
  The list of problems is long. It is clear that to win the fight 
against HIV/AIDS, we must address the many and wide-ranging impacts of 
the disease on women. Our strategies to fight HIV/AIDS should include 
approaches such as microcredit programs that provide women with small 
loans. These loans, often as small as $10, enable women to start 
businesses to sustain themselves and their families. We should also 
support efforts to keep girls in school, using education's 
effectiveness as a ``social vaccine'' against HIV infection. We should 
work to make prevention, care, and treatment accessible to women. We 
must address the problem of gender-based violence and intimidation.
  And, as part of our strategy, we should also support promising women-
centered technologies such as microbicides. This is why I am a 
cosponsor of the Microbicides Development Act being introduced today. 
This bill calls on the Federal Government to accelerate and coordinate 
research and development of microbicides.
  Family planning is another area that can have important benefits for 
women's health and economic well being. The World Bank has called 
family planning ``a development success story'' because it contributes 
so greatly not just to women's health and opportunities, but also to 
the social and economic development of entire societies. Family 
planning improves economic and educational opportunities for women and 
their families. It also has a direct effect on health.
  Worldwide, over half a million women die each year from pregnancy or 
delivery. Family planning makes pregnancy safer by reducing unintended 
pregnancies and by allowing couples to space births, giving mothers' 
bodies more time to recover between pregnancies. Spacing births 3 to 5 
years apart can prevent the deaths of women and children. It decreases 
a mother's risk of dying from childbirth by 2.5 times, and also 
decreases by 2.5 times the baby's risk of dying before the age of five.
  Unfortunately, many couples still lack access to family planning 
care. Worldwide, an estimated 200 million women want to delay the birth 
of their next child or stop childbearing altogether, but lack access to 
effective contraceptive methods.
  Fully funding this unmet need for contraceptives could reduce 
abortions by 22 million, infant deaths by 1.4 million, and pregnancy-
related deaths by 142,000. Improving access to family planning care is 
also a wise economic investment. Studies from Mexico, Thailand, Egypt, 
and Vietnam have found that every dollar spent on family planning saves 
$8 to $31 in government expenditures.
  The United States has been a leading supporter of family planning 
programs since the 1960s. For family planning's many benefits to 
women's health and lives, I hope we will continue our leadership in 
this area.
  Today, on International Women's Day, we have an opportunity to 
recognize the progress that has been made in advancing the health and 
economic well-being of women. We also have an obligation to renew our 
commitment to providing the care that is needed to help some of the 
world's most vulnerable women and their families.
  When we face challenges, we must not be deterred. When we experience 
success, we ought not to become complacent. Winston Churchill reminds 
us, ``Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to 
continue that counts.'' The women that I have met in Uganda, South 
Africa, and Bangladesh have all had the courage to continue. We too 
must continue our efforts to improve the health and lives of women 
around the world.
  Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, today we commemorate International 
Women's Day. Discussions that will take

[[Page 3748]]

place this week in celebration of International Women's Day allow women 
leaders, policy makers and experts from governments around the world to 
take stock of our progress and recommend concrete steps for future 
action.
  I commend U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan for using his platform at 
the United Nations to advocate on behalf of women's rights. More than 
most, the Secretary General knows firsthand that global progress 
depends on securing the rights of women worldwide. I am grateful to him 
for raising his voice on behalf of women and for the pivotal role the 
U.N. continues to play in advancing women's rights on every continent.
  About 2 weeks ago, I had the privilege of traveling to Iraq, 
Afghanistan and Pakistan with some of my colleagues on the Senate Armed 
Services Committee. I visited U.S. troops and had a chance to see the 
extraordinary work these dedicated men and women are doing under 
extremely trying circumstances.
  I also spent a few very valuable moments with Iraqi and Afghan women, 
just as I had done on a previous visit to Iraq and Afghanistan during 
Thanksgiving in 2003. What I saw, and what I heard from these women, 
was both inspiring and unnerving. In many ways the experiences of Iraqi 
women, and their counterparts in Afghanistan, underscore the 
opportunities unfolding for women all over the globe. But they also 
represent an enduring truth--that no matter how far we have come and 
how much hope is on the horizon, women must continue to work, struggle, 
and fight for every ounce of progress we make. Even then there are no 
guarantees.
  Ten years ago, women from 189 countries came together for the United 
Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. It was a gathering 
that lasted only a few days, but it changed the world.
  We were women of all colors, races, ethnicities, languages, and 
religious backgrounds. Yet we knew that, as women, we shared common 
aspirations and dreams, as well as concerns and worries about the 
futures of our families and our communities.
  In Beijing, after years, decades, indeed centuries, we broke our 
silence. Together we spoke up and we spoke out.
  We spoke out on behalf of women and their daughters, mothers and 
sisters; women who were underpaid, under-educated and undervalued; 
women who were deprived of the right to go to school, earn a living, 
see a doctor, own property, get a loan, cast a vote or run for office; 
women who were persecuted, abused, violated, even killed because there 
were no laws to protect them or no enforcement of the laws that were 
supposed to protect them.
  Although some governments and officials doubted that a United Nations 
conference on women would have an impact, what transpired in Beijing 
was the beginning of a global movement. It was a global movement 
focusing attention on the issues that matter most in the lives of women 
and their families: access to education, health care, jobs and credit, 
and the opportunity to enjoy the full range of political, legal and 
human rights.
  We called on governments around the world to promote and protect 
women's rights unequivocally and to act on the ideal that ``women's 
rights are human rights and human rights are women's rights.''
  We made our case that global progress depends on the progress of 
women; that democratic institutions cannot thrive and survive without 
the participation of women; that market economies cannot grow and 
prosper without the inclusion of women; that societies are not truly 
free and just without legal protections and rights for women; that a 
nation cannot advance into the 21st century and in the Information Age 
without educated, literate women.
  Today, as we face new and daunting enemies--from stateless terrorism 
to the global pandemic of HIV/AIDS to the scourge of human 
trafficking--we are learning that our Nation and our world cannot be 
secure or at peace if women are denied the right to fulfill their God-
given potential at home, at school, at work, at the ballot box, in the 
courthouse and in the board room.
  The Beijing Conference got us going. Governments, working with NGOs, 
used the Beijing Platform for Action as a road map. In the 10 years 
since, many have taken significant steps in the right direction.
  From Mongolia to Indonesia to Tajikistan, we are seeing more 
equitable laws protecting women from discrimination, abuse and 
violence. From Gambia to Chile more women are getting elected or 
appointed to leadership roles in government. Our global movement is 
having a profound impact around the world.
  Turkey recently passed sweeping legislative reforms to protect the 
rights of women with regard to rape and honor killings.
  In Ethiopia, a center funded by the U.S. Agency for International 
Development opened last summer to offer medical assistance and 
counseling to women and girls who are victims of human trafficking.
  Morocco instituted new family law that gives women equal rights to 
make decisions about marriage, divorce custody and alimony.
  In Afghanistan, for the first time, a woman, Dr. Masooda Jalal, ran 
for the presidency. And Habiba Sarobi was just appointed governor of 
one of Afghanistan's central provinces. She is the first woman to hold 
a provincial government post in Afghanistan.
  In Mexico, Amalia Garcia became the third women ever to be elected 
governor of a state in her country.
  In Iran, Dr. Shirin Ebadi, a woman lawyer, judge, and human rights 
activist, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003.
  The following year in Kenya, Wangari Maathai, the deputy minister of 
the environment, won the Nobel Peace prize for her efforts to protect 
the environment and advance opportunities for poor women.
  In the United States, the Clinton administration launched the Vital 
Voices democracy initiative to help women around the globe build 
democratic institutions and market economies in their own countries. 
During my husband's administration, I was honorary chair of the 
President's Interagency Council on Women, whose job was to follow up on 
Beijing and make sure that policies and programs relating to women and 
girls were a priority in every federal agency.
  President Clinton's administration was the first ever to understand 
that social investment particularly investments in women and girls 
should be an integral part of foreign policy. Secretary Madeleine 
Albright led the charge, and I am grateful for her energy and vision.
  These achievements might not have been possible without the 
galvanizing effects of Beijing. We should all be very proud of the work 
we have done here in the United States, as well as around the world, to 
advance the Beijing agenda and ensure that we continue to make progress 
on all of these fronts.
  But where do we go from here?
  Despite our advances, women still comprise the majority of the 
world's poor, illiterate and uneducated. Women remain undercompensated 
for the work they do in every country on Earth. Women in too many 
countries still do not have adequate access to medical care or the 
fundamental right to plan their own families. Women are 
underrepresented in leadership positions in government and business. 
Women continue to be targeted for unspeakable atrocities in war and 
conflict.
  At this very moment, women and girls in some parts of the world are 
being forced into marriages they do not want. They are dying of HIV/
AIDS in disproportionate numbers. They are getting trapped in the 
bondage of international trafficking rings. They are being subjected to 
rape, mutilation and murder as a tactic or prize of war. They are left 
diseased, destitute and dying in refugee camps.
  In too many instances, the march to globalization has also meant the 
marginalization of women and girls. That has to change.
  This week's events offer an opportunity not just to assess our 
progress

[[Page 3749]]

and pat ourselves on the back. We also must reaffirm the goals laid out 
in the Beijing platform for action and adopt our strategies to meet the 
new and complex challenges of the 21st century.
  Specifically:
  One, we must continue to improve access to quality health care, 
including reproductive and sexual health and HIV/AIDS prevention and 
treatment.
  When women and girls are healthy, we all benefit from lower rates of 
maternal and child mortality, improved public health, a decline in 
population growth, a more productive work force and more stable 
families.
  Among the most serious health crises facing women today is HIV/AIDS. 
About half of those infected worldwide are women. In Africa, young 
women are three times more likely to contract the virus than men. A 
vicious cycle of poverty, inadequate health care, illiteracy, sexual 
coercion and gender-based violence make this a daunting problem with 
implications well beyond the developing world.
  That is why Senator Boxer and I proposed an amendment to the Global 
AIDS bill that would provide assistance to foreign countries to combat 
HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
  We also have to ensure that women enjoy the fundamental right to plan 
their own families and that they have access to family planning 
services.
  This is not an easy issue. There are people with equally strong 
passions and convictions on both sides. But we should all be able to 
agree that we want every child born in this country and around the 
world to be wanted, cherished and loved. And the best way to achieve 
that is to educate the public about reproductive health and how to 
prevent unsafe and unwanted pregnancies.
  Research shows that the primary reason that teenage girls abstain is 
because of their religious and moral values. We should embrace this and 
support programs that reinforce the idea that abstinence at a young age 
is not just the smart thing to do; it is the right thing to do. But we 
should also recognize what works and what does not work and the jury is 
still out on the effectiveness of abstinence-only programs. I do not 
think this debate should be about ideology, it should be about facts. 
We have to deal with the choices young people make and not only the 
choices we want them to make. We should use all the resources at our 
disposal to ensure teens are getting the information they need to make 
the right decisions.
  Today, roughly 20 million women worldwide risk unsafe abortions every 
year. About 68,000, most of them in developing countries, die in the 
process. Many more suffer horrific injuries. The World Health 
Organization estimates that about 600,000 women die each year from 
pregnancy-related causes. Many times that number suffer grievous 
injury. Many of these deaths could be prevented by providing women with 
the information and means to choose the size and spacing of their 
families.
  Yet, the Bush administration is making it more difficult for women in 
these situations to receive safe medical care. Under the global gag 
rule, none of our foreign aid dollars can go to foreign NGOs that 
provide abortions beyond cases of rape, incest or endangerment to the 
mother. Or provide abortion counseling or advocate the legalization of 
abortion in their countries.
  In places such as Nepal and Afghanistan, which suffer from some of 
the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, clinics funded by 
our government provided a full range of health services to women and 
girls. But with the Bush administration's reinstatement of the global 
gag rule, those funds have dried up; the doors to the clinics are 
closed. When I visited Afghanistan two years ago and recently, Afghan 
women asked that the U.S. renew women's health assistance for that 
country.
  Practically speaking, making it harder for women to get information, 
counseling and family planning services is a counterproductive policy. 
It does nothing to reduce abortion; in fact, it may do quite the 
opposite. Without access to contraception and family planning services, 
there will be more unwanted pregnancies. Without access to adequate 
medical care, many pregnant women will die undergoing unsafe abortions.
  There is no reason why governments cannot help educate women and 
assist girls and women with their health care needs. It is the most 
effective way to reduce abortions and improve the health and well-being 
of women and their families.
  Two, we must prevent violence against women, and that includes the 
trafficking of women and girls worldwide, and we must make sure that 
the criminals who engage in these activities are brought to justice and 
not allowed to go free.
  For all the benefits of globalization, modern technology and instant 
communications, there are dark sides. One of the most insidious is the 
crime and heinous human rights violation of human trafficking.
  As many as 800,000 men, women and children are trafficked across 
international borders each year, lured by the promise of jobs or a 
better life, only to find themselves trapped in prostitution, forced 
labor and debt bondage.
  I will never forget visiting a school in northern Thailand that took 
in young girls whose lives were ruined by prostitution and taught them 
vocational skills. Many of the girls had contracted HIV/AIDS. I 
remember crouching in front of a teenage girl in a wheelchair who was 
so ill that she could barely raise her hands to greet me. The girl had 
been sold into prostitution by her family because they were desperate 
for money. She had escaped her brothel, returned home, and was sold 
again. She died a few days after my visit.
  I also met with women leaders from Eastern and Central Europe and our 
government launched campaigns in Lviv, Ukraine, and in Istanbul to 
combat trafficking. I am proud that in March of 1998, President Clinton 
condemned human trafficking as a violation of human rights and outlined 
the prevention, protection and prosecution framework and strategy which 
led to the first anti-trafficking bill, which he signed into law in 
2000.
  Now the Senate must ratify the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and 
Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Our 
government played a major role in developing this Protocol that has led 
many countries around the world to enact new antitrafficking 
legislation and we and other member states must ratify it. So far 79 
countries have ratified it and I believe that it is past time for our 
country to provide clearer leadership to other countries who have not 
yet ratified this landmark instrument of international cooperation.
  But more is needed. I am heartened that since we initially helped 
bring global attention to this issue that our work continues to grow. 
But I am equally concerned that current efforts have not yet achieved 
the concrete results desperately needed by the victims of trafficking 
like the girls I visited whose lives were ravaged by their servitude. 
We have a deep responsibility to all of trafficking's victims to do 
better and I am committed to continue to work on their behalf.
  In a related area, the U.S. and other nations must, for moral and 
economic reasons, support efforts to curb all forms of violence against 
women, be it mass rapes in Bosnia and Darfur or battered women 
suffering in the silence of their own homes in America.
  Three, we must continue to increase participation of women in 
decision-making positions in government and the private sector.
  Women are on the front lines when it comes to issues involving their 
children, their families and their communities. But too often their 
voices are not part of the political dialogue. We need to make sure 
that women have every opportunity to make their voices heard, to be 
part of civic life and to contribute to the formation of policies and 
programs that will affect their lives and the lives of those around 
them.
  NGOs have been a critical element of promoting women's human rights. 
They were the voice for women in Afghanistan during the dark days of 
the Taliban. Thanks to organizations such

[[Page 3750]]

as the Vital Voices Global Partnership, more and more women around the 
world are learning the skills necessary to run political organizations 
and campaigns, build political networks and win elective office. As 
more women enter the political arena, research shows that their 
presence raises the standards of ethical behavior, lowers corruption 
and makes political institutions more responsive to constituents.
  We have seen women in Rwanda win nearly half the seats in their 
parliament during the 2003 elections. Their active participation makes 
Rwanda stronger.
  We have seen Afghan women refuse to sell their voter registration 
cards to tribal warlords and defy expectations by voting. Their active 
participation makes Afghanistan stronger.
  We just saw Iraqi women refuse to run away from polling stations in 
January despite the enormous risk and sometimes flying bullets. Their 
active participation will make Iraq stronger.
  We were all moved by photos of women and men on Election Day in Iraq 
holding up their ink-stained fingers, showing their courage and 
determination to vote freely in their country's first democratic 
elections. We were encouraged that a significant number of women were 
candidates and won.
  The wide participation in this election gives us good reason to be 
cautiously optimistic that Iraq is on the path to building a stable and 
secure democratic government. But there are also troubling signs: Women 
have been targeted for retribution, with tragic consequences. Women 
have been attacked for wearing Western dress or promoting progressive 
ideas. I have been told that fear of violence has kept some women 
confined to their homes.
  And so it is important that we recognize and applaud the progress 
that has been made, and that we remain vigilant for the future. We 
cannot become complacent and see women freed from one tyranny only to 
be imprisoned by another: the tyranny of violence or of extremism.
  Decisions are being considered right now in Iraq that will determine 
the role that women have in governance, under the law and in society.
  To ensure that Iraqi women are not marginalized under their new 
government, their rights must be ensured, their personal security 
guaranteed and their access to opportunity protected.
  Four, we must extend full economic opportunities to women, including 
access to microfinance and microenterprise.
  It seems obvious that, with women making up more than half of the 
world's population, global prosperity depends on women having the right 
to education, jobs, property ownership and credit. Yet it is only 
relatively recently that this fact became more widely accepted. Over 
the past several decades we have seen the enormous benefits accrued 
when women are given even a small slice of the economic pie.
  Microcredit is one of those stunningly simple, inexpensive tools that 
can forever alter the economic landscape for the better. Women now make 
up 80 percent of the world's 70 million microcredit borrowers. From 
India to Nicaragua to South Africa to Costa Rica, women are proving 
that small loans can transform individual lives, families and entire 
communities.
  Five, we must ensure that the doors of primary education are open to 
every girl--and boy--in every country and on every continent.
  If there is a domino effect at work here, it begins with primary 
education. Today, 55 percent of girls in sub-Saharan Africa do not 
complete primary school. This failure has real consequences for our 
global economy and our national security, not to mention for tens of 
millions of children with limitless potential who are losing the chance 
to discover their worth and importance as global citizens.
  Girls who are educated are more likely to have healthy and stable 
families, lower mortality rates, higher nutrition levels, delayed 
sexual activity and less chance of contracting HIV/AIDS or having 
unwanted pregnancies. Educated children also correlate to increases in 
the GDP.
  Equally important today, the education of children in the developing 
world is one of our best weapons against terror. We cannot just win the 
military battles; we have to win the hearts and minds of hundreds of 
millions of people around the world, many of them between the ages of 
15 and 24. We have to educate them, and we have to engage them in 
discussions about our future.
  I am pleased to have introduced the Education For All Act last year, 
which calls for a clear, global strategy to achieve universal global 
education by 2015. By dramatically increasing our investment in global 
education, the legislation would make educating children, including 
girls, a top priority of U.S. foreign policy.
  No country can do this alone. We need other reform-minded countries 
to step up to the plate. We need to leverage the strength and resources 
of private voluntary organizations. We have to work together to achieve 
this goal.
  Six, we must strengthen the role of women as agents of peace because 
we know that women are among our best emissaries when it comes to 
easing religious, racial and ethnic tensions, crossing cultural 
divides, and reducing violence in areas of war and conflict.
  War and conflict disproportionately impact women, yet women are 
rarely included in peace negotiations or the peace process. Too many 
societies continue to view women's roles narrowly, thus losing the 
chance to benefit from the special wisdom and insights that women 
offer.
  In Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Colombia, women have formed groups to 
support orphans and widows left in the wake of genocide and have 
advocated for peace.
  The 2004 U.N. Report of the High Level Panel on Threats, Challenges 
and Change recommends that in order to more capably resolve conflicts 
between states, the U.N. should engage in greater consultation with 
important voices from civil society, especially those of women, who are 
often neglected during peace talks.
  The report goes on to say that in order to protect civilians, the 
Security Council, U.N. agencies and Member States should fully 
implement Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security, which passed 
unanimously in 2000; it is the first resolution ever passed by the 
Security Council that specifically addresses the impact of war on 
women, and women's contributions to conflict resolution and sustainable 
peace.
  From my own experiences, I know that women can serve as tremendously 
courageous and effective peace brokers. I have listened to women from 
Central America talk about combating domestic violence after helping 
end real combat in deadly civil war. I have seen Catholic and 
Protestant women meet over tea, finding common ground amidst the 
conflict of Northern Ireland. I have seen Bosnian, Croat, and Serbian 
women bridge their differences by working together, eating together and 
learning side by side.
  Finally, it is time to ensure that women have equal opportunity for 
meaningful representation in all areas of decision-making. Not just 
token positions. We need to be partners in developing budgets, writing 
laws, serving in security forces, dispensing justice, conducting 
business and serving in government.
  Doing all of these things is not just the right thing to do. It is 
the smart thing to do. Stronger, healthier, fulfilled and productive 
women are the key to building stronger societies.
  Ten years after Beijing, politicians and policymakers around the 
globe have become increasingly sophisticated at talking about gender 
equality and the important role women play in society. Political 
speeches, election outreach and advertisements all suggest a growing 
acceptance of women's rights. But listen carefully to the words, match 
them to their deeds and you will see that we still have a lot of work 
to do.
  It is not enough to enshrine equal rights in a constitution. It is a 
critical first step, but nations have to interpret and actively enforce 
equal rights for women. We are working with women in Iraq to make sure 
this happens and that their rights are not eroded under a new 
government.

[[Page 3751]]

  It is not enough to say women deserve a voice in politics. Nations 
have to take steps to ensure the full participation and representation 
of women in their conferences and committees, their plenaries and 
parliaments. Our sisters in Nigeria are struggling with this as we 
speak. Although the constitution guarantees equal rights, Nigerian 
women have been virtually excluded from the political process.
  It is not enough to say we want to educate our girls and give women 
economic opportunities. Women must be able to safely conduct business, 
have access to loans and participate fully in economic activities. They 
must have a say in how society allocates its resources.
  It is not enough to say violence targeted against women is wrong. Nor 
is it acceptable to excuse violence against women as a cultural norm. 
Violence against women is not cultural. It is criminal, and laws must 
be written and enforced to punish perpetrators of any and all forms of 
violence against women.
  During this week, women on all continents, who are often divided by 
national boundaries and by ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic and 
political differences, come together to celebrate International Women's 
Day. It is a time to reflect on our commitment to the ideals of 
equality, justice, peace and development for women around the world.
  Let us use this occasion to redouble our efforts on behalf of the 
hundreds of millions of women worldwide who rely on us to speak up and 
speak out for them because they cannot speak up for themselves.
  Let us keep women's rights on the world's agenda. Let us continue to 
mobilize and galvanize until every woman and every girl is able to 
exercise her human rights and achieve her full potential.
  Women represent our best hope for democracy, stability, prosperity, 
peace and security as we look forward into this new century,
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, gender equality is critical to peace 
and prosperity around the world. As we become more interconnected, it 
is crucial that the rights of women are recognized by all countries as 
fundamental human rights because countries which value women's rights 
are more stable, freer, and more prosperous. Therefore, it is befitting 
that I rise today to commemorate, March 8, 2005, International Women's 
Day.
  The genesis of International Women's Day comes from a number of 
provocative moments in history. On March 8, 1857, women working in the 
textile and clothing industry in New York City staged a protest 
demanding better working conditions and higher wages. More than 50 
years later on March 8, 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York 
City in support of voting rights, shorter work hours, and an end to 
child labor.
  It is because of these strong and courageous women that we recognize 
today as International Women's Day. They lit the torch for gender 
equality and passed it down through the generations to us. We have a 
duty and a responsibility to continue their noble work and I am ready 
to do so by ensuring that the voices of women from around the world are 
heard loud and clear.
  Mohandas K. Gandhi once said, ``There is no occasion for women to 
consider themselves subordinate to men.'' Yet, even today, there are 
places around the world where this is not the case. If the United 
States aims to be a great champion of the rights of women and girls for 
the rest of the world, we must do more to promote respect for women as 
well as increase their participation in every aspect of a country's 
civic, political, and economic life. Today, I would like to highlight 
several issues related to women that require decisive leadership: the 
role of women in Iraq and Afghanistan, international family planning 
programs, and the Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination 
Against Women.
  We all know that Iraq can only complete a peaceful transition to a 
country based on the rule of law, human rights, and democracy with the 
full participation of women. One year ago today, the United States 
sought to assist Iraq on this path when the Department of State 
established the Iraqi Women's Democracy Initiative along with the U.S. 
Iraqi Women's Network. Through these grants, the U.S. reached out to 
Iraqi women and informed them of the importance of their vote and role 
in the new Iraq.
  On January 30, 2005, the world watched as 58 percent of Iraqi voters 
turned out for an election in which 25 percent of the candidates 
running were women. In the months following the elections, special 
training will focus on constitution drafting, legal reform, and the 
legislative process, so that women may ensure their rights are 
enshrined in the new constitution. While I am encouraged by recent 
positive events, we must remain vigilant and encourage our Iraqi 
friends to put the active and meaningful participation of women in the 
new Iraq at the top of their agenda.
  Last year, Women for Women International commissioned a survey of 
Iraqi women and found that despite ethnic educational, religious, and 
economic differences, an overwhelming majority of women in Iraq support 
a strong role for themselves in the new Iraq. Of the women surveyed, 94 
percent want to secure legal rights for women, 84 percent want the 
right to vote on the final Constitution, and 95 percent think there 
should be no restrictions on education. It is the duty of the United 
States to assist Iraqi women in realizing these goals and I encourage 
my colleagues to continue to support funding for women's initiatives in 
Iraq.
  One of the great success stories of our campaign against terrorism is 
the liberation of the women and girls of Afghanistan from the brutal 
oppression of the Taliban regime. Under the Taliban, women in public 
were forced to cloak themselves in shroud-like burkas while being 
accompanied by a male relative or else risk being beaten mercilessly. 
Most Afghan women were restricted by the Taliban from working, 
receiving an education, from visiting doctors, and from receiving 
humanitarian aid.
  The women of Afghanistan have the opportunity to build a better life 
for themselves and their families. More and more women in Afghanistan 
are getting an education, earning a living, receiving medical 
attention, and participating in public life.
  In fact, I was pleased to hear that Hamid Karzai made history last 
week when he appointed Habiba Sarabi as Afghanistan's first female 
provincial governor.
  During the Taliban regime, Ms. Sarabi fled from Kabul to Pakistan. 
Following the removal of the Taliban from power in 2001, she was 
selected for Mr. Karzai's cabinet and instantly became a hero not just 
for women and girls, but for all Afghans. Her story is truly a 
testament to the remarkable turnaround taking place in Afghanistan.
  Nevertheless, obstacles still remain that prevent women and girls 
from reaching their full potential.
  A recent U.N. report from UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to the 
Economic and Social Council's Commission on the Status of Women states:

     while the status of women and girls has improved, overall 
     progress has been uneven. The volatile security situation and 
     traditional social and cultural norms continue to limit 
     women's and girls' role in public life and deny them the full 
     enjoyment of their rights. The massive needs in terms of 
     reconstruction of infrastructure and strengthening of human 
     capacity, including in the fields of education and health 
     care, will require the sustained attention and support of 
     national actors and the international community for many 
     years to come.

  Our victory in Afghanistan will be lost if women and girls are not 
afforded basic human rights and equal opportunity. The United States 
must not forget our commitment to provide a better future for Afghan 
women of all ages, and I urge my colleagues to stay the course and 
support additional assistance for education, health care, and democracy 
training for women and girls in the years ahead.
  Once again, as we commemorate International Women's Day, I regret to 
point out that the Senate has still not

[[Page 3752]]

acted on the Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination 
Against Women. The Convention, which was adopted by the UN General 
Assembly in 1979, has been ratified by 179 countries to date, including 
every other democracy in the world.
  By ratifying the Convention, states commit themselves to take 
appropriate steps to eliminate discrimination against women in 
political and public life, law, education, employment, health care, 
commercial transactions, and domestic relations.
  I am shocked and disappointed that the United States has failed to 
ratify this Convention. Every year we fail to ratify this important 
Convention, we compromise our ability to lead the world as the 
torchbearer for women's rights. Not only would signing the Convention 
reaffirm our Nation's leadership role on these issues, it would bring 
us closer with our friends and allies who have already ratified the 
pact. I urge the Senate to act on the Convention this year.
  The United Nations Population Fund UNFPA is the single largest global 
source for maternal health and family planning programs, working in 
over 140 countries.
  Nevertheless, since 2002, the Bush administration has withheld over 
$90 million in vital U.S. contributions to UNFPA because of its 
perceived ties with China's family planning program and policies. The 
administration has taken these actions despite a report from a State 
Department fact finding team that the UNFPA in no way supported or was 
involved in coercive abortions or involuntary sterilization. As a 
result of administration actions, millions of poor women and families 
have been deprived of desperately needed care.
  The work of UNFPA benefits women in need around the world. In the 
wake of the horrific tsunami that struck South Asia, UNFPA has been 
working to ensure that women and girls in this area are receiving the 
care they need. UNFPA's priorities are reproductive health, including 
safe childbirth, prevention of violence against women and girls, and 
psychosocial counseling for those affected by the 26 December tsunami.
  In early January, UNFPA asked for $28 million to support its tsunami-
related work in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Maldives as part of the 
United Nations interagency Flash Appeal. A month later, over 70 per 
cent of the requested funding had been received or pledged from various 
donors, including Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, China, Norway, and 
New Zealand. The United States is absent from this list.
  No women should be prevented from receiving the assistance she 
deserves to plan and care for healthy families. We need to ensure that 
women have access to the educational and medical resources they need to 
control their reproductive destinies and their health so they will be 
able to better their own lives and the lives of their families.
  Women are the backbone of our global society. They are our mothers, 
our sisters, our daughters, and our grandmothers. They nurture us and 
teach us the lessons of life and how to be a better person. As such, I 
am proud to commemorate March 8, 2005, as International Women's Day.
  There are many great issues facing women and the United States. 
However, I am confident and optimistic we can address problems such as 
family planning, the burgeoning roles of women in Iraq and Afghanistan, 
and eliminating all forms of discrimination against women.
  As a United States Senator, I truly believe it is our duty as the 
leader of the free world to address and seek workable solutions to 
every problem that women face around the world. We can--and we must.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution and preamble be agreed to, en bloc, the motion to reconsider 
be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the 
resolution be printed in the Record, without intervening action or 
debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 74) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                               S. Res. 74

       Whereas all over the world, women are contributing to the 
     growth of economies, participating in the world of diplomacy 
     and politics, and improving the quality of the lives of their 
     families, communities, and nations;
       Whereas discrimination continues to deny women full 
     political and economic equality and is often the basis for 
     violations of women's basic human rights;
       Whereas worldwide, the lives and health of women and girls 
     continue to be endangered by violence that is directed at 
     them simply because they are female;
       Whereas worldwide, violence against women includes rape, 
     genital mutilation, sexual assault, domestic violence, dating 
     violence, honor killings, human trafficking, dowry-related 
     violence, female infanticide, sex-selection abortion, forced 
     pregnancy, forced sterilization, and forced abortion;
       Whereas the World Health Organization asserts that domestic 
     violence causes more deaths and disability among women aged 
     15 to 44 than cancer, malaria, traffic accidents, and war;
       Whereas worldwide, 130,000,000 girls and young women have 
     been subjected to female genital mutilation;
       Whereas worldwide, at least 1 in 3 females has been beaten 
     or sexually abused in her lifetime;
       Whereas worldwide, 20 to 50 percent of women experience 
     some degree of domestic violence during marriage;
       Whereas 1 in 4 women in the United States have been raped 
     or physically assaulted by an intimate partner at some point 
     in their lives;
       Whereas somewhere in the United States, a woman is 
     battered, usually by her partner, every 15 seconds;
       Whereas more than 3 women are murdered by their husbands or 
     boyfriends in the United States every day;
       Whereas battering is the leading cause of injury to women 
     aged 15 to 44 in the United States;
       Whereas it is estimated that 1 in 5 adolescent girls in the 
     United States becomes a victim of physical or sexual abuse, 
     or both, in a dating relationship;
       Whereas worldwide, women account for \1/2\ of all cases of 
     HIV/AIDS, and in Africa, young women are 3 times more likely 
     to contract the virus than men;
       Whereas worldwide, sexual violence, including marital rape, 
     has been denounced as a major cause of the rapid spread of 
     HIV/AIDS among women;
       Whereas between 75 and 80 percent of the world's millions 
     of refugees are women and children;
       Whereas illegal trafficking worldwide for forced labor, 
     domestic servitude, and sexual exploitation involves between 
     1,000,000 and 2,000,000 women and children each year, of whom 
     approximately 50,000 are transported to the United States;
       Whereas \2/3\ of the world's nearly 1,000,000,000 
     illiterate individuals are women;
       Whereas \2/3\ of the children denied primary education are 
     girls;
       Whereas these educational failures have serious 
     consequences for the global economy and the United States 
     national security, as well as for tens of millions of girls 
     who are losing the chance to discover their worth and 
     importance as global citizens;
       Whereas girls who are educated are more likely to have 
     healthy and stable families, lower mortality rates, higher 
     nutrition levels, and delayed sexual activity, and have less 
     chance of contracting HIV/AIDS or having unwanted 
     pregnancies;
       Whereas in most countries, women work approximately 2 times 
     more unpaid time than men do;
       Whereas women work \2/3\ of the world's working hours and 
     produce \1/2\ of the world's food, yet earn only 10 percent 
     of the world's income and own less than 1 percent of the 
     world's property;
       Whereas 3 in 10 households are maintained by women with no 
     husband present;
       Whereas rural women produce more than 55 percent of all 
     food grown in developing countries;
       Whereas it is estimated that women and girls make up more 
     than 70 percent of the poorest people in the world;
       Whereas worldwide, women earn less, own less property, and 
     have less access to education, employment, and health care 
     than do men;
       Whereas microcredit is a stunningly simple, inexpensive 
     tool that can forever alter the economic landscape for the 
     better;
       Whereas women now make up 80 percent of the world's 
     70,000,000 microcredit borrowers, and from India to Nicaragua 
     to South Africa to Costa Rica, women are proving that small 
     loans can transform individual lives, families, and entire 
     communities;
       Whereas nations should take steps to ensure the full 
     participation and representation of women in political 
     conferences, committees, plenaries, and parliaments;
       Whereas social investment, particularly investments in 
     women and girls, should be an integral part of foreign 
     policy;

[[Page 3753]]

       Whereas despite extraordinary advances, women still 
     comprise the majority of the world's poor, illiterate, and 
     uneducated, remain under-compensated for the work they do, 
     still do not have adequate access to medical care in too many 
     countries, are under-represented in leadership positions in 
     government and business, and continue to be targeted for 
     unspeakable atrocities in war and conflict;
       Whereas March 8 has become known as International Women's 
     Day for the last century, and is a day on which people, who 
     are often divided by ethnicity, language, culture, and 
     income, come together to celebrate a common struggle for 
     women's equality, justice, and peace;
       Whereas the dedication and successes of those working all 
     over the world to end violence against women and girls and 
     fighting for equality should be recognized; and
       Whereas the people of the United States should be 
     encouraged to participate in International Women's Day: Now, 
     therefore be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates March 8, 2005, as International Women's Day;
       (2) reaffirms its commitment to--
       (A) improve women's access to quality health care, 
     including HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment;
       (B) end and prevent violence against women, including the 
     trafficking of women and girls worldwide, and ensure that the 
     criminals who engage in these activities are brought to 
     justice;
       (C) end discrimination and increase the participation of 
     women in decisionmaking positions in government and the 
     private sector;
       (D) extend full economic opportunities to women, including 
     access to microfinance and microenterprise; and
       (E) strengthen the role of women as agents of peace because 
     women are among the best emissaries for easing religious, 
     racial, and ethnic tensions, crossing cultural divides, and 
     reducing violence in areas of war and conflict; and
       (3) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
     ``International Women's Day'' with appropriate programs and 
     activities.

                          ____________________