Pass IVAWA: "no time to waste"

Yesterday, members of Congress and human rights advocates, including Amnesty’s celebrity spokesperson Samantha Mathis, made the case for passing the International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA) on Capitol Hill.  At the breakfast briefing in the Rayburn House Office Building, the audience listened to a distinguished panel present compelling accounts of the heroism and bravery of women and girls globally. The briefing, titled “Stories of Courage and Success: Surviving and Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Internationally,” was infused with the possibility of overcoming gender based violence around the world.

The panel was joined by members of Congress who are IVAWA champions in the House, Representatives Ted Poe (R-TX) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL).  Both members, who coordinated the event along with lead bill sponsor Representative Bill Delahunt (D-MA), made inspiring remarks on why they personally endorse and support the legislation.

One of the panelists, Rose Mapendo, a survivor and advocate from the Democratic Republic of Congo, gave some of the most gripping testimony. She began by sharing a song she had gained strength from when she was imprisoned with her family in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Rose detailed how she escaped with nine of her 10 children and eventually resettled in Arizona. She was finally reunited with her lost daughter more than a decade later. Ms. Mapendo has survived the violence of genocide and is helping to bring peace to her country and others. She is the subject of a new documentary by PBS called “Pushing the Elephant.”

Other speakers included retired Ambassador George Ward, senior Vice President of World Vision, actor and celebrity spokesperson for Amnesty International Samantha Mathis, the president of Women Thrive Worldwide Ritu Sharma, and the CEO of PBS Paula Kerger.

Ms. Mathis gave a personal account of her own experience campaigning with Amnesty against femicide in Guatemala.  She said “I came face to face with the horror of brutal murders of women when I met with the family members of victims”.  Ms Mathis ended with an impassioned plea to all members of Congress to cosponsor IVAWA. “Violence is taking place on an overwhelming scale and there is no time to waste”.

Violence against women and girls is a global human rights violation.  Around the world, women and men are taking a stand to end violence against women and girls. They are working to stop attacks against girls on their way to school, reduce trafficking of women and girls, end violence in the home, and rape during armed conflict.  These courageous human rights defenders would benefit from United States support to achieve their goals.

Congress is now considering IVAWA (H.R. 4594/S.2982), which will help in the global fight for a world free of violence against girls and women. IVAWA is a comprehensive and coordinated response to violence against women. Investing in women and girls and ending violence generates returns for families and communities, nationally and internationally. Contact your member of Congress today to urge their support for this bill that will change the lives of women around the world.

As Samantha Mathis said yesterday on Capitol hill, “Now is your chance to stop the atrocities, take this chance and help pass the International Violence Against Women Act”.

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8 thoughts on “Pass IVAWA: "no time to waste"

  1. What do the police, the courts and law enforcement get paid for in the first place?
    Why spend an additional 4 billion on VAWA
    and even more on IVAWA

    It is just more beltway bandit money going to society women that sit on the "non-prof" board of directors, more money going into govenment agencies

    and , they refuse to put a rapist in prison…..covering up the many crimes
    by "sealing" rape cases and rape evidence.

    The police get funding for not putting rapists in prison
    the non-prof get funding for allowing rapists to go free
    the federal government sweeps the funds from the non-profit agencies that cover up the rapes.

    They are selling women to rape in America……why fund this on an international basis?

    This is more madness from the US Senate
    and a waste of YOUR tax dollars, to subsidize felony rape

    I want the government to put one rapist in prison…..they refuse to do so
    prefering the money he would pay to have his rape cases "sealed"

    They are selling women to rape, under this VAWA, and protecting the rapists

    I can be reached at beverlyprather1@verizon.net

  2. What do the police, the courts and law enforcement get paid for in the first place?
    Why spend an additional 4 billion on VAWA
    and even more on IVAWA

    It is just more beltway bandit money going to society women that sit on the “non-prof” board of directors, more money going into govenment agencies

    and , they refuse to put a rapist in prison…..covering up the many crimes
    by “sealing” rape cases and rape evidence.

    The police get funding for not putting rapists in prison
    the non-prof get funding for allowing rapists to go free
    the federal government sweeps the funds from the non-profit agencies that cover up the rapes.

    They are selling women to rape in America……why fund this on an international basis?

    This is more madness from the US Senate
    and a waste of YOUR tax dollars, to subsidize felony rape

    I want the government to put one rapist in prison…..they refuse to do so
    prefering the money he would pay to have his rape cases “sealed”

    They are selling women to rape, under this VAWA, and protecting the rapists

    I can be reached at beverlyprather1@verizon.net

  3. Human rights provide the freedom that allows a person to live and thrive in a safe and healthy environment. Why should living a life free of hunger, illness and disease be a luxury that is afforded only to those fortunate enough to be born into a wealthy nation? The color of your skin, your gender, your economic class, your political views and your religious beliefs should not dictate whether you are allowed to enjoy “basic human rights”. If these restrictions apply than the term is not accurate. The phrase clearly means that these rights should be available to every person on earth. There should be no exceptions because these rights represent the basic necessities for sustaining life and preventing suffering. Do we believe this is an unreasonable concept? Do we have reservations about helping children survive beyond the age of five? Do we want to deny food to millions of people each year? Do we want to withhold life saving medicines and vaccines from entire regions of the world? Would we want anyone to do those things to us? http://stopextremepoverty.com/2010/09/20/human-ri

  4. Human rights provide the freedom that allows a person to live and thrive in a safe and healthy environment. Why should living a life free of hunger, illness and disease be a luxury that is afforded only to those fortunate enough to be born into a wealthy nation? The color of your skin, your gender, your economic class, your political views and your religious beliefs should not dictate whether you are allowed to enjoy “basic human rights”. If these restrictions apply than the term is not accurate. The phrase clearly means that these rights should be available to every person on earth. There should be no exceptions because these rights represent the basic necessities for sustaining life and preventing suffering. Do we believe this is an unreasonable concept? Do we have reservations about helping children survive beyond the age of five? Do we want to deny food to millions of people each year? Do we want to withhold life saving medicines and vaccines from entire regions of the world? Would we want anyone to do those things to us? http://stopextremepoverty.com/2010/09/20/human-ri

  5. Human rights provide the freedom that allows a person to live and thrive in a safe and healthy environment. Why should living a life free of hunger, illness and disease be a luxury that is afforded only to those fortunate enough to be born into a wealthy nation? The color of your skin, your gender, your economic class, your political views and your religious beliefs should not dictate whether you are allowed to enjoy “basic human rights”. If these restrictions apply than the term is not accurate. The phrase clearly means that these rights should be available to every person on earth. There should be no exceptions because these rights represent the basic necessities for sustaining life and preventing suffering. Do we believe this is an unreasonable concept? Do we have reservations about helping children survive beyond the age of five? Do we want to deny food to millions of people each year? Do we want to withhold life saving medicines and vaccines from entire regions of the world? Would we want anyone to do those things to us? http://stopextremepoverty.com/2010/09/20/human-ri

  6. Human rights provide the freedom that allows a person to live and thrive in a safe and healthy environment. Why should living a life free of hunger, illness and disease be a luxury that is afforded only to those fortunate enough to be born into a wealthy nation? The color of your skin, your gender, your economic class, your political views and your religious beliefs should not dictate whether you are allowed to enjoy “basic human rights”. If these restrictions apply than the term is not accurate. The phrase clearly means that these rights should be available to every person on earth. There should be no exceptions because these rights represent the basic necessities for sustaining life and preventing suffering. Do we believe this is an unreasonable concept? Do we have reservations about helping children survive beyond the age of five? Do we want to deny food to millions of people each year? Do we want to withhold life saving medicines and vaccines from entire regions of the world? Would we want anyone to do those things to us?
    http://stopextremepoverty.com/2010/09/20/human-rights/

  7. I always try to take away my garbage conscientiously but it's oftentimes depressing when I discover just what some other countries are doing to the planet!

  8. I always try to take away my garbage conscientiously but it’s oftentimes depressing when I discover just what some other countries are doing to the planet!