A Senate Resolution urging Congress to enact the International Violence Against Women Act.

Whereas, Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation that occurs globally and devastates millions of lives every day. Such violence includes, but is not limited to, physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, rape, domestic violence, sexual exploitation, honor killings, child marriages, and human trafficking; and

Whereas, The United Nations Development Fund for Women estimates that at least one in every three women around the world has been beaten, coerced into sexual activity, or otherwise abused in her lifetime. The World Health Organization reports that in some countries, up to 70% of women have been victims of domestic violence at one point in their lives; and

Whereas, Sexual violence among adolescent and pre-adolescent girls is alarmingly high. A 2010 survey of violence against children in Tanzania found that nearly three in ten females experienced sexual violence prior to the age of 18; and

Whereas, Violence against women and girls destabilizes countries, impedes economic progress, and prevents women from contributing to their community and creating better lives for themselves and their families; and

Whereas, In 2007, legislation developed by Amnesty International USA, the Family Violence Defense Fund, Women Thrive Worldwide, and various international organizations, formed the basis of the International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA); and

Whereas, The purpose of the I-VAWA is to integrate, in a comprehensive manner, efforts to prevent violence against women and girls into United States foreign policy and foreign assistance programs, and to promote women's economic, social, and human rights throughout the world ; and

Whereas, Specifically, the I-VAWA addresses violence against women and girls by: supporting health, legal, economic, social, and humanitarian assistance programs operating throughout the world, and incorporating violence prevention and response into the services they provide; supporting survivors of violence and holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes; implementing a strategy to prevent and respond to gender-based violence in select countries with high incidences of violence against women and girls; enabling the United States Government to develop faster and more efficient responses to violence against women and girls in humanitarian emergencies and conflict-related situations; alleviating poverty and increasing women's access to economic opportunities; and building the capacity of international non-governmental organizations to prevent and respond to violence against women and children more effectively; and

Whereas, The I-VAWA was first introduced in the United States Congress during the 110th Congress. With bi-partisan support, the legislation was reintroduced in the 111th Congress by Senators John Kerry (Massachusetts) Barbara Boxer (California), Susan Collins (Maine), Olympia Snowe (Maine), and Representatives Delahunt (Massachusetts) and Poe (Texas); and

Whereas, In November of 2013, the I-VAWA (H.R. 3751) was reintroduced in the 113th Congress by Representative Janice Schakowsky (Illinois) and 34 co-sponsors; and

Whereas, The latest version of the I-VAWA, currently awaiting action by the House Foreign Affairs Committee, incorporates recommendations from the U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence Globally report issued by the United States Agency for International Development; and

Whereas, Released in August 2012, the strategy is derived from, and has long been a core component of, the I-VAWA, and requires foreign assistance agencies to undertake measurable steps in their programming to prevent and respond to gender-based violence; and

Whereas, In order to ensure that the United States Government implements its strategy to reduce violence against women and girls internationally, and to promote women's economic, social, and human rights throughout the world, the United State Congress is urged to enact the International Violence Against Women Act; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:

1. The United States Congress is urged to enact the International Violence Against Women Act in order to ensure that the United States Government implements its strategy to reduce violence against women and girls internationally, and to promote women's economic, social, and human rights throughout the world.

2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the President of the United States, the Secretary of State of the United States, and every member of the New Jersey Congressional delegation.

STATEMENT

This resolution urges the United States Congress to enact the International Violence Against Women Act in order to ensure that the United States Government implements its strategy to reduce violence against women and girls internationally, and to promote women's economic, social, and human rights throughout the world.