III 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 74 

Supporting the goals of International Women’s Day. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 11, 2013 

Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself, Ms. COLLINS, Mrs. BOXER, Mr. BEGICH, Mr. 

CARDIN, Mr. CASEY, Mr. DURBIN, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, 

Ms. LANDRIEU, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Ms. MIKULSKI, Ms. MURKOWSKI, 

Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. SCHATZ, and Mr. WHITEHOUSE) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals of International Women’s Day. 

Whereas there are more than 3,300,000,000 women in the 

world today; 

Whereas women around the world participate in the political, 

social, and economic life of their communities, play a critical role in providing and caring for their families, contribute substantially to the growth of economies, and, as 

both farmers and caregivers, play an important role in 

advancing food security for their communities; 

Whereas the advancement of women around the world is a 

foreign policy priority for the United States; 

Whereas, on January 30, 2013, President Barack Obama 

signed a presidential memorandum recognizing the need 


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for ‘‘dedicated professionals with . . . expertise and stature’’ to sustain advances in the status of women and girls 

worldwide and directing the Secretary of State to ensure 

that an Ambassador-at-Large continues to lead the Office 

of Global Women’s Issues; 

Whereas, on December 19, 2011, the Obama Administration 

launched the first-ever United States National Action 

Plan on Women, Peace, and Security that included a 

comprehensive set of national commitments to advance 

the active participation of women in decision making relating to matters of war and peace; 

Whereas President Obama said, ‘‘[o]ur common prosperity 

will be advanced by allowing all humanity—men and 

women—to reach their full potential’’; 

Whereas, on August 10, 2012, President Obama announced 

the first interagency Strategy to Prevent and Respond to 

Gender-based Violence Globally; 

Whereas the ability of women to realize their full potential is 

critical to the ability of a country to achieve strong and 

lasting economic growth and political and social stability; 

Whereas, according to the International Monetary Fund, ‘‘focusing on the needs and empowerment of women is one 

of the keys to human development’’; 

Whereas, according to the 2012 World Economic Forum 

Global Gender Gap Report, ‘‘reducing gender inequality 

enhances productivity and economic growth’’; 

Whereas, according to the World Bank 2012 World Development Report: Gender Equality and Development, ‘‘greater gender equality is also smart economics, enhancing 

productivity and improving other development outcomes, 


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including prospects for the next generation and for the 

quality of societal policies and institutions’’; 

Whereas, although strides have been made in recent decades, 

women around the world continue to face significant obstacles in all aspects of their lives, including underrepresentation in all aspects of public life, denial of basic 

human rights, and discrimination; 

Whereas, despite some achievements by individual women 

leaders, women around the world are still vastly underrepresented in high level positions and in national and 

local legislatures and governments and, according to the 

Inter-Parliamentary Union, women account for only 20.3 

percent of national parliamentarians; 

Whereas women remain underrepresented in conflict prevention and conflict resolution efforts, despite proven successes by women in conflict-affected regions in moderating violent extremism, resolving disputes through nonviolent mediation and negotiation, and stabilizing their 

societies by improving access to peace and security services, institutions, and decision-making venues; 

Whereas, according to the United Nations, 1 in 3 women 

around the world has experienced some form of genderbased violence and 1 in 4 women has been abused during 

pregnancy; 

Whereas, according to the World Health Organization, as 

many as 1 in 5 women report being sexually abused before the age of 15; 

Whereas, according to UNESCO, women account for 64 percent of the 796,000,000 adults worldwide who lack basic 

literacy skills; 


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Whereas, according to the United Nations Population Fund, 

1 in 9 girls in developing countries (excluding the People’s Republic of China) will be married before the age 

of 15; 

Whereas, according to Save the Children, pregnancy-related 

complications are a leading cause of death among girls 

between the ages of 15 and 19 in developing countries; 

Whereas, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization, the majority of women living in rural areas of the 

developing world are heavily engaged in agricultural 

labor, yet they receive less credit, land, agricultural inputs, and training than their male counterparts; 

Whereas it is imperative to alleviate violence and discrimination against women and afford them every opportunity to 

be full and productive members of their communities; and 

Whereas March 8 is recognized each year as International 

Women’s Day, a global day to celebrate the economic, political, and social achievements of women past, present, 

and future, and a day to recognize the obstacles that 

women still face in the struggle for equal rights and opportunities: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) supports the goals of International Women’s 

3 Day; 

4 (2) recognizes that the empowerment of women 

5 is inextricably linked to the potential of countries to 

6 generate economic growth, sustainable democracy, 

7 and inclusive security; 


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1 (3) recognizes and honors the women in the 

2 United States and around the world who have 

3 worked throughout history to ensure that women are 

4 guaranteed equality and basic human rights; 

5 (4) reaffirms its commitment to ending dis6 crimination and violence against women and girls, to 

7 ensuring the safety and welfare of women and girls, 

8 and to pursuing policies that guarantee the basic 

9 human rights of women and girls worldwide; and 

10 (5) encourages the people of the United States 

11 to observe International Women’s Day with appro12 priate programs and activities. 

Æ 


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