House Resolution 1227 has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives condemning the sexual violence occurring in the Democratic Republic of Congo and calling for the United States and the international community to demand an end to this cycle of violence.
What is House Resolution 1227, and how will it help? House Resolution 1227:
- Urges the United States Agency for International Development and international community to provide victims and potential victims of rape with greater assistance for health care services, psychological and social counseling, and legal advice;
- Calls on the government of the DRC to end the widespread sexual violence by holding all armed groups, including members of the Congolese armed forces and police, accountable for their actions;
- Calls on the UN Security Council to take immediate steps to ensure that the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in the Congo, MONUC, is fully funded to increase troop presence and deploy in areas where sexual violence is most prevalent.
What can you do? First, click here to find out if your representative is already a co-sponsor of House Resolution 1227. If they aren't, write to them to urge them to co-sponsor House Resolution 1227. If they are already a co-sponsor, click here, then edit the letter to thank them for co-sponsoring the resolution and urge them to ask other representatives to become co-sponsors as well.
Want to do more? Call your representative (visit http://www.house.gov/ to find them) to ask them to co-sponsor House Resolution 1227. You can also learn more about the Congo at http://www.congoglobalaction.org/.
