Subcommittee Approves Resolutions on Women in Latin America

On November 2, the House International Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere approved, by unanimous consent, three resolutions en bloc, including two pertaining to women in Latin America. H. Con. Res. 90 would convey the sympathy of Congress to the families of the young women murdered in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, and encourage increased U.S. involvement in bringing an end to these crimes. H. Res. 458 would remember and commemorate the lives and work of Maryknoll Sisters Maura Clarke and Ita Ford, Ursuline Sister Dorothy Kazel, and Cleveland Lay Mission Team Member Jean Donovan, who were executed by members of the armed forces of El Salvador on December 2, 1980.

Sponsored by Rep. Hilda Solis (D-CA), H. Con. Res. 90 contains a number of findings, including:

• The Mexican cities of Ciudad Juarez and Chihuahua have been plagued with the abduction, sexual assault, and brutal murders of more than 370 young women since 1993;
• There have been at least 30 murders of women in Ciudad Juarez and the city of Chihuahua since 2004;
• At least 137 of the victims were sexually assaulted prior to their murders;
• More than half of the victims are women and girls between the ages of 13 and 22, and many were abducted in broad daylight in well-populated areas;
• Congress strongly supports the work of the special commissioner to prevent violence against women in Ciudad Juarez and Chihuahua city; and
• Congress condemns all senseless acts of violence in all parts of the world and, in particular, violence against women.

Rep. Solis stated, “These acts are more than just crimes–they are horrific violations of women’s rights and human rights,” adding, “These murders have caused incredible pain for the families of victims. Their pain is compounded by the lack of response and botched investigations by their police and local government. Very few perpetrators of these crimes have been brought to justice. While changes have been made in local and state government and some answers are coming to light, we must continue to pressure Mexican authorities to investigate crimes and end the violence.”

Sponsored by Rep. James McGovern (D-MA), H. Res. 458 contains a number of findings, including:

• On December 2, 1980, four United States churchwomen, Maryknoll Sisters Maura Clarke and Ita Ford, Ursuline Sister Dorothy Kazel, and Cleveland Lay Mission Team Member Jean Donovan, were violated and executed by members of the National Guard of El Salvador;
• These four United States churchwomen dedicated their lives to working with the poor of El Salvador, especially women and children left homeless, displaced and destitute by the Salvadoran civil war;
• These women joined the more than 70,000 civilians who were murdered during the course of the Salvadoran civil war; and
• The House recognizes that while progress has been made during the post-war period, the work begun by the four United States churchwomen remains unfinished and social and economic hardships persist among many sectors of Salvadoran society.