Lynn C. Woolsey: “I rise to ask my colleagues, my colleagues in the House of Representatives, to take a stand for women. In honor of…”

“I rise to ask my colleagues, my colleagues in the House of Representatives, to take a stand for women. In honor of Women's History Month, I am reintroducing a resolution urging the Senate to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women known as CEDAW, C-E-D-A-W. The convention holds governments responsible for first condemning and then working to eliminate all forms of discrimination against all women. This agreement establishes rights for women not previously subjected to international standards including political laws, including employment law, including education and health care. CEDAW was approved by the United Nations General Assembly 19 years ago to codify women's equality, 19 years ago. Since then more than 160 nations have ratified CEDAW. Also, more than two-thirds of the U.N. members have gone on record dedicating themselves to ending state sanctioned discrimination against women and girls. The one glaring exception is the oldest democracy in the world, the United States. Mr. Speaker, since 1994 the President has repeatedly submitted this treaty to the Senate where it has languished in the Committee on Foreign Relations. The position of the United States as an international champion of human rights has been jeopardized by its failing to consider and ratify CEDAW.”