On Thursday, February 4, 2010, Members of Congress introduced the groundbreaking International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA)! The bill is H.R. 4594 in the House and S. 2982 in the Senate.

I-VAWA presents a critical opportunity for the United States to protect, defend, and empower the world’s women. It is a comprehensive piece of legislation that will integrate violence prevention in U.S. foreign policy and support innovative programs that have been shown to effectively reduce violence against women and girls.

For many of us, recent reports on international violence against women seem distant and incomprehensible. On any given day, horrifying stories on such violence appear in the news: the systematic rape of women in the Democratic Republic of Congo, increasing assaults on women and girls in Afghanistan, shocking brutalities in Guinea. Sadly, this violence is not isolated to a few women in a few places. In fact,  approximately 1 out of 3 women worldwide has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in her lifetime with rates of domestic violence reaching 70% in some countries. No country is immune – the violence crosses all borders and affects women of all ages, social groups, religions and classes.  

The United States Congress now has an opportunity to address these horrifying abuses.  Congressman Delahunt (D-MA), Congressman Poe (R-TX), Congresswoman Schakowsky (D-IL), Senator Kerry (D-MA) Senator Boxer (D-CA), Senator Snowe (R-ME), and Senator Collins (R-ME) introduced this landmark legislation that can have a real impact for women all over the world. 

Congress should move quickly to make the I-VAWA into law.

In a world where tensions and violence within communities can jeopardize national and international security, it is critical that the United States take action to end atrocities committed against women and girls in their homes and in their communities, during times of peace and times of conflict. 

Violence takes the lives of millions of women and girls, and denies countless others their dignity and the chance to live safe, productive lives.  Constituents now have the opportunity to let lawmakers know they want more to be done to address violence against women globally, they can take action to end the suffering by urging their Members of Congress to co-sponsor I-VAWA.

(Read more here: http://www.bahai.us/womens-rights-legislation)