USA: Legislation proposed to combat violence against women and girls

Acts of violence against women and girls occur every day around the world. Rape continues to be used as a tool of war to terrorise women and girls and tear apart communities. US Senators Joseph Biden (D-DE) and Richard Lugar (R-IN) recently introduced bipartisan legislation, S. 2279, which would make efforts to address gender-based violence a key priority in US foreign assistance programmes.

This legislation is especially important for women and girls in war-torn areas who are so vulnerable to rape and sexual abuse. Horrific levels of sexual violence have been witnessed in a number of conflicts, including Bosnia-Herzegovina, Darfur, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The International Violence Against Women Act contains a number of important provisions aimed at increasing services for survivors of gender-based violence and improving prevention and protection programmes.

Recent reports detailing unimaginable brutality against women and girls in the Democratic Republic of Congo are a tragic reminder of the urgent need for concrete action.

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