Press release March 10, 2015
Congress Should Pass “Violence Against Women” Legislation
Freedom House President Mark P. Lagon urges the United States Congress to pass the International Violence Against Women Act.
Washington
In response to the re-introduction of the International Violence Against Women Act in the U.S. Congress, Freedom House released the following statement:
“Violence against women is an egregious human rights violation with worldwide impact, with one in three women experiencing violence in their lifetime,” said Mark P. Lagon, president of Freedom House. “For freedom to flourish, women and girls must able to participate fully in society without fear. We applaud the bipartisan cosponsors of this important legislation, which would improve U.S. efforts to make the elimination of violence against women and girls a top foreign policy priority. We urge Congress to swiftly pass this legislation and move one step closer to ending the global epidemic of gender-based violence.”
The U.S. is rated Free in Freedom of the World 2015, Free in Freedom of the Press 2014, and Free in Freedom on the Net 2014.