Sen. Dodd Statement at Senate Foreign Relations Hearing on Violence Against Women

October 2, 2009 -- Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, submitted the following statement at yesterday’s Committee hearing concerning the global costs and consequences of violence against women.

“For too long, women have gotten short shrift in development and foreign policy. Women’s rights, women’s health, and violence against women have a history as being designated and denigrated as “soft” issues,” said Dodd. “The unassailable truth, however, is that promoting women’s rights, women’s health, and women’s empowerment are not simply idealistic, moral goals. Rather, they are some of our most effective tools in achieving America’s key foreign policy goals and meeting our most difficult challenges.”

The full text of Dodd’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, is below.

“I would like to thank Chairman Kerry for holding this very important hearing today, and I would like to welcome all of our witnesses for their testimony. The subject of this hearing is a very important one to me, and I am glad to see this committee and this administration address it.

For too long, women have gotten short shrift in development and foreign policy. Women’s rights, women’s health, and violence against women have a history as being designated and denigrated as “soft” issues. The goal of ensuring that all women have access to health care, equal protection under law, and the freedom to participate and thrive in society, has too often been seen as a noble but ancillary aspect of foreign policy—not worthy of our full attention, especially at a time when we are fighting two wars, struggling with an international financial crisis, and confronting the scourge of HIV/AIDS and terrorism.

The unassailable truth, however, is that promoting women’s rights, women’s health, and women’s empowerment are not simply idealistic, moral goals, unconnected to our realpolitik foreign policy and national interests. Rather, they are some of our most effective tools in achieving America’s key foreign policy goals and meeting our most difficult challenges.

When women thrive, everyone thrives; societies are more stable, economic prosperity increases, families are stronger, maternal and child death rates fall and repressive governments lose their grip. Improving women’s and maternal health, stopping the practices of child marriage and female genital mutilation, and combating the trafficking of women and girls are not just fundamental American ideals, they are a strategic imperative.

For these reasons, I am thrilled to see that the Obama Administration has kept its promise to make the role of women central to our foreign policy. The historic creation of an Ambassador-at-Large for Women’s issues is a tremendous step forward, and I can think of no one better than Melanie Verveer to fill that role. Secretary Clinton’s efforts to bring women’s issues to the front and center of the international debate has also done much to highlight the tremendous importance of women in our foreign policy.

Throughout my career in public service, I have fought for the rights of women both at home and abroad, and I plan on joining my colleagues, once again, in supporting the International Violence Against Women Act. This is a critical piece of legislation which seeks to protect, and, more importantly, empower the world’s mothers and daughters. In the coming days, I also plan to introduce the Newborn, Child and Mother Survival Act, which will empower USAID to implement programs ensuring that mothers are healthy enough not just to survive pregnancy and labor, but also to thrive alongside their children. I would like to once again thank our witnesses for joining us today. I look forward to a productive discussion.”

Source: Senator Chris Dodd

Note From Human Rights For Abused Mothers and Children: Please write Senator Dodd to encourage him to keep fighting for our rights and to express any of your concerns.  It is absolutely important for us women to make our stand and demand our right to full liberty of life and equal protection.

You can contact him at: http://dodd.senate.gov/index.php?q=node/3128

Thank you!