| Imagine a world where bruises and broken bones no longer keep mothers from caring for their children... Imagine a world where girls can get an education without being abused on their walk to school... Imagine a world where women can go to work without fearing violence in the work place.... Imagine a world without violence against women.
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Photo Credit: Boaz Rottem, boazimages.com
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| Click here to hear an audio press conference call by actress and humanitarian Ashley Judd in support of IVAWA.
On July 22, 2010 the Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF) and Women Thrive Worldwide began a powerful print and banner ad campaign in Politico to urge Congress to pass the International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA) this year. Check out the ad here. | Every day around the world a war is waged against women and girls, taking millions of lives and causing terrible suffering. Approximately one out of every three women globally has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in her lifetime. Violence against women includes abuse by spouses or partners in the home, rape as a weapon during wartime, dowry related deaths and forced prostitution. The distress and injuries caused affects families, communities and wider societies, preventing women from taking full advantage of economic and educational opportunities and threatening security by increasing social tensions. Violence against women is a global health crisis, an egregious human rights violation, and a moral outrage that knows no geographic or cultural barriers.
What many people don't realize, however, is that violence against women is also a major cause of poverty. Violence keeps women from getting an education, working, and earning the income they need to lift themselves and their families out of poverty. And research shows that giving women in poor countries economic opportunity empowers them to escape abusive situations.
About IVAWA: The good news is that violence against women is preventable and that there are proven solutions that work. The International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA - H.R. 4594, S. 2982), if passed, would for the first time comprehensively incorporate these solutions into all U.S. foreign assistance programs - solutions such as promoting women's economic opportunity, addressing violence against girls in school, and working to change public attitudes. Among other things, the IVAWA would make ending violence against women a diplomatic priority for the first time in U.S. history. It would require the U.S. government to respond to critical outbreaks of gender-based violence in armed conflict - such as the mass rapes now occuring in the Democratic Republic of Congo - in a timely manner. And by investing in local women's organizations overseas that are succesfully working to reduce violence in their communities, the IVAWA would have a huge impact on reducing poverty - empowering millions of women in poor countries to lift themselves, their families, and their communities out of poverty. Take Action: Send a message to Congress!
| The IVAWA (H.R. 4594, S. 2982), which was also introduced in the House and the Senate during the last Congress, was reintroduced on February 4, 2010 by Congressman Delahunt (D-MA), Congressman Poe (R-TX), and Congresswoman Schakowsky (D-IL) with other members and Senator Kerry (D-MA), Senator Snowe (R-ME), Senator Boxer (D-CA) and Senator Collins (R-ME) with other Senators. (See these links for lists of all the IVAWA sponsors in the House and Senate.) It was developed by lead Congressional sponsors in conjunction with Women Thrive Worldwide, Amnesty International USA (AIUSA), the Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF), and the help of organizational partners. It is the result of extensive research on what works: it was drafted in consultation with more than 150 groups including U.S.-based NGOs, U.N. agencies and 40 women’s groups across the globe. Finally, it is the centerpiece of a nation-wide campaign led by Women Thrive Worldwide, AIUSA, and FVPF to end violence against women worldwide. Help Pass the IVAWA: Send a Message to Congress Today!
Violence Against Women and Poverty: The Link
Violence prevents women from:
- Working: Violence reduces a woman's ability to work and provide for her family. In India, for example, a survey revealed that women who experienced even a single incident of violence lost an average of seven working days.
- Staying at Work: In Kenya, 95 percent of the women who had experienced sexual abuse in their workplace were afraid to report the problem for fear of losing their jobs.
- Getting an Education: Research shows that violence against women - including sexual assault, intimidation, and abuse - takes place in schools. Girls who are exposed to or experience violence are less likely to complete their education. A study in Nicaragua found that children of female victims of violence left school an average of four years earlier than other children.
- Building Strong Communities: Women who experience violence are less able to benefit from and contribute to healthy communities.
How Economic Opportunity Can Prevent Violence Against Women: Women who have economic options experience less violence. Owning property, for example, can give women greater bargaining power within households and protect them against domestic violence. In Kerala, India, for example, a study showed that only 7 percent of women who owned property suffered from physical violence, compared to 49 percent of women with no property.
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