Around the world, an estimated one out of every three women will be beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in her lifetime. Up to 70% of women in some countries report experiencing gender-based violence at some point in their lives. 

The International Violence Against Women Act of 2019, introduced in the Senate by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and in the House of Representatives by Rep. Janice D.  Schakowsky, will ensure that tackling gender-based violence is a foundation of U.S. foreign policy by:

• Providing for a U.S. global strategy to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls.
• Establishing in the Department of State an Office of Global Women's Issues, which shall be headed by an Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues, who will coordinate U.S. government efforts regarding gender equality and the advancement of women and girls in foreign policy and develop or update periodically a U.S. global strategy to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls.
• Establishing in the U.S. Agency for International Development the position of Senior Coordinator for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment, who shall direct policies, programs and funding regarding gender equality and women's empowerment.
• Requiring that U.S. assistance made available for humanitarian relief, conflict mitigation and post-conflict reconstruction prevents and responds to violence against women and girls. The Department of State shall also identify incidents that occur during armed conflict and implement emergency responses.

Please contact your senators and representative and ask them to support the bipartisan International Violence Against Women Act of 2019, S.3037 and H.R.5267.