[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Pages 3521-3522]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

  Mr. BIDEN. Mr. President, on March 8 we will commemorate 
International Women's Day, which, since 1911, has given us an 
opportunity to pause and assess the status of women worldwide. Since 
that time, we have seen great achievements by women in many parts of 
the world. The last century began with women in the United States 
fighting for the right to vote, while today we see the first real 
chance that a woman will be elected President.
  While substantial progress has been made here and in other countries, 
millions of women around the world continue to live in poverty and 
fear. Women are denied decent health care, denied economic 
opportunities, denied education, and denied security for themselves and 
their children. Women face epidemic levels of violence. One in three 
women worldwide will experience gender-based violence in her lifetime. 
In some countries, that is true for 70 percent of women. No country is 
immune. From the trafficking of women in Eastern Europe, to ``honor'' 
killings in the Middle East, to the use of rape as a weapon of war in 
Darfur and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, violence against women 
and girls crosses all borders and affects women in all social groups, 
religions and socioeconomic classes.
  A recently released survey of 1,500 women in Iraq by Women for Women 
International indicates that women there are suffering high levels of 
violence. The survey found that 63.9 percent of those surveyed believe 
that violence against women is increasing for reasons including lack of 
respect for women's rights and a worsening economy. The report quotes a 
police chief in the southern city of Basra who says that ``[r]eligious 
vigilantes have killed at least 40 women this year . . . because of how 
they dressed, their mutilated bodies found with notes warning against 
`violating Islamic teachings.' ''
  Violence has a profound impact on the health and development of 
countries worldwide. Violence against women and girls violates their 
basic human rights. It impedes women's full and active participation in 
their communities and societies. And it limits our effort to foster 
development around the world. Violence prevents girls from going to 
school, stops women from holding jobs, and limits access to critical 
health care for women and their children. We can't eradicate poverty 
and disease unless we prevent and respond to the violence women face in 
their own homes and communities. And we can't empower women to become 
active in civic life and promote peace, prosperity and democracy unless 
they personally are free from fear of violence. It is no surprise, 
then, that at this year's World Economic Forum, Secretary Rice stated 
that if she could focus on one thing in developing countries, it would 
be the empowerment of women.
  Violence against women is a global health crisis, not just because so 
many women and girls are injured and die but also because the violence 
interferes with efforts to save the lives of pregnant women and babies. 
Rape increases vulnerability to HIV-AIDS transmission. In sub-Saharan 
Africa alone, women account for close to three-quarters of those living 
with HIV-AIDS between the ages 18 and 24.
  The picture is grim and can be discouraging. But the good news is 
that local organizations are working in communities around the world 
with courage, sensitivity, and success to help women overcome violence 
at home, in school, and at work. Governments are bringing together all 
sectors of their country to try to prevent and end abuse. But they need 
our help.
  We have made tremendous progress in reducing violence against women 
here in the United States since we passed the Violence Against Women 
Act, VAWA, in 1994. It is time to throw our weight and leadership 
behind efforts to help women and their families worldwide lead safer, 
healthier lives. Stopping gender-based violence isn't just the moral 
thing to do; it is also smart diplomacy since violence contributes to 
the poverty, inequality, and instability that threaten our security.
  Last fall, Senator Lugar and I introduced S. 2279, the International 
Violence Against Women Act. This groundbreaking, bipartisan legislation 
would ensure that our foreign assistance programs include efforts to 
end gender-based violence.
  We would accomplish this goal in three ways:
  First, we propose to reorganize and rejuvenate the gender-related 
efforts of the State Department by creating one central office--the 
Office for Women's Global Initiatives, directed by a Senate-confirmed 
Ambassador who reports directly to the Secretary of State. The 
coordinator will monitor and coordinate all U.S. resources, programs, 
and aid abroad that deal with women's issues, including gender-based 
violence.

[[Page 3522]]

This centralization will ensure the most efficient use of taxpayer 
funds.
  Second, we mandate a 5-year, comprehensive strategy to combat 
violence against women in 10 to 20 targeted countries. We would 
allocate $175 million a year to support programs dealing with violence 
against women in five areas: the criminal and civil justice system, 
health care, access to education and school safety, women's economic 
empowerment, and public awareness campaigns that change social norms.
  Third, we know through terrible experience that women and girls are 
especially vulnerable to violence in humanitarian crises and in 
conflict and postconflict situations. Reports of refugee women being 
raped while collecting firewood, soldiers sexually abusing girls 
through bribery with token food items, or women subjected to torture as 
a tool of war are horrific. The act requires training for workers and 
peacekeeping forces and establishes reporting mechanisms and other 
emergency measures.
  The issue of violence against women and girls is complex, and our 
legislation is ambitious. We are mindful that no country has a perfect 
record or all the answers. Yet Congress has a long and proud history of 
tackling complex international problems, most recently the epidemic of 
HIV-AIDS and the crime of human trafficking.
  Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said ``Violence 
against women is perhaps the most shameful human rights violation. And 
it is perhaps the most pervasive. It knows no boundaries of geography, 
culture or wealth. As long as it continues, we cannot claim to be 
making real progress towards equity, development and peace.'' We could 
not agree more. Our International Violence Against Women Act brings 
together, for the first time, coordinated American resources and 
leadership to this global issue.
  We believe the time is now for the United States to get actively 
engaged in the fight for women's lives and girls' futures. There is no 
better way to commemorate International Women's Day.

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