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Thirteen years after passage of the
groundbreaking Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in the United
States, the Senator who was chief sponsor of the bill is working
to take the initiative global. Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE), a
long-time advocate for women’s rights and recipient of the 2002
End Violence Against Women (EVAW) International Visionary Award
introduced the International Violence Against Women Act in
November of this year.
Less than a month after the bill was introduced there was an
international outcry about the case of a rape victim who was
sentenced to 200 lashes and 6 months imprisonment by a Saudi
Court.
Senator Biden made a public appeal to King Abdullah to overturn
the Court’s sentence. He also noted how the case underscores the
importance of the International VAWA. Biden said in his
statement, “this decision is a startling reminder that around
the globe women and girls are subjected to brutal violence and
too often are victimized a second time for coming forward. Here
in the U.S., we’ve seen a sea change in societal attitudes and
the judicial system towards the crime of rape. Similar reform is
necessary internationally.”
The proposed legislation includes three major provisions to
fight violence against women, according to the Feminist Daily
Newswire. First, it would create a central Office for Women’s
Global Initiatives to coordinate U.S. policies, programs, and
resources that deal with women’s issues. Second, it requires a
5-year comprehensive strategy to fight violence against women in
targeted countries and provides $172 million a year to support
programs that fight violence against women. Lastly, the bill
mandates training, reporting mechanisms and a system for dealing
with women and girls afflicted by violence during humanitarian,
conflict and post-conflict operations. Senator Richard Lugar
(R-IN), the chair and ranking member of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee is co-sponsor of the bill.
Sources:
"Biden and Lugar Introduce International Violence Against Women
Act", Feminist Daily News Wire, November 2, 2007.
"Biden/Lugar Introduce the International Violence Against Women
Act", press release issued November 1, 2007
"Biden
Issues Statement on Saudi Rape Case", press released issued
November 21, 2007
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