Sign a petition to Congress urging passage of the International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA)!

First introduced in October 2007 by (former) Senator Joe Biden, and then reintroduced on February 4, 2010 by Senators John Kerry and Barbara Boxer, along with Representatives Ted Poe, Bill Delahunt and Jean Schakowsky, the International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA) is a landmark and much-needed piece of legislation aimed at improving the lives of women worldwide.

The I-VAWA will work to support survivors of sexual violence, hold perpetrators accountable, and prevent violence against women around the globe. The bills (S. 2279 and HR. 5927) would also increase US diplomatic attention to ending violence against women and incorporate best practices into US foreign assistance.

The ravaging impact of violence against women is felt most severely in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where rape is used as a weapon of war to destroy women and their communities. Urge your elected officials to strengthen their commitment to end these crimes against humanity by supporting I-VAWA.

The Enough Project supports the IVAWA because it will help combat sexual violence against women in Congo by:

• Directing the President to develop a comprehensive strategy to prevent violence against women and girls;
• Directing the U.S. government to assist programs that prevent and respond to violence against women and girls in all humanitarian relief, conflict, and post-conflict operations;
• Directing the U.S. government to create a comprehensive, 5-year strategy to reduce violence in 10-20 diverse countries that have severe levels of violence against women and girls. To achieve this goal, the Act authorizes more than $1 billion over 5 years in U.S. assistance to support international programs that prevent and respond to violence. The funds will go to health programs and survivor services, encourage legal accountability and a change of public attitudes, promote access to economic opportunity projects and education, and better address violence against women in humanitarian situations;
• Establishing the Office of Women's Global Initiatives in the Department of State to coordinate U.S. government efforts respecting international women's issues;
• Authorizing appropriations to support the United Nations Development Fund for Women Trust Fund in Support of Actions to Eliminate Violence Against Women;
• Ensuring that U.S. training of foreign military and police forces incorporates training on prevention of violence against women and girls.