International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA)

By Lauren Conn on 02/17/2010 @ 02:00 PM

Thursday I had the privilege of attending an event on Capitol Hill at which lawmakers from both sides of the aisle came together to reintroduce the International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA), a grassroots piece of legislation developed and supported by a coalition of over 200 NGOs, U.N. agencies, and international women’s groups to address global violence against women and girls.

In accordance with best practices based upon their years of research on gender-based violence, I-VAWA calls for a comprehensive approach to empower women worldwide who were hailed as “peacemakers and change agents.” Secretary Clinton echoed these sentiments recently by referencing a well-known proverb in her remarks on development in the 21st century:

"'Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day, but teach a man to fish and he’ll eat for a lifetime’? Well, if you teach a woman to fish, she’ll feed the whole village."

Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Representatives William Delahunt (D-MA), Ted Poe (R-TX), and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) were joined at the podium by Humaira Shahid of Pakistan and Irene Safi Turner of the Democratic Republic of Congo who spoke passionately about the impact that this legislation would have on women in their home countries. Ms. Shahid, a former journalist and legislator from Pakistan, said we should invest in women in the developing world as an "untapped reservoir" that would bring real change, peace, and economic growth to their communities around the globe. She began her remarks acknowledging that hers was not an individual voice, but the voice of countless women of Pakistan and across the world demanding justice.

Anticipating a difficult road ahead, Senator Kerry urged the advocates present to continue to lift their voices to make ending violence against women and girls a U.S. foreign policy priority. He acknowledged that his colleagues in both chambers may be reluctant to authorize additional funding, but emphasized that an investment in the safety, well-being, education and economic opportunity of women is an investment in our own national security and diplomatic relations. The bipartisan panel expressed hope that with continued grassroots efforts, I-VAWA can support the work of Secretary Clinton and the Obama administration on these issues. Ms. Safi Turner of the DRC concluded with praise for I-VAWA as "an act of compassion and solidarity." Click here to find out how you can lift your voice in support of I-VAWA in solidarity with women around the world.

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