March
is Women’s History Month: Trafficking of Persons’ Legislative
Bill Made History in Washington
by
Joann
Natalia Aquino
“I
have met many brave women who are exploring the outer edge of human
possibility, with no history to guide them, and with a courage to make
themselves vulnerable that I find moving beyond
words."
--Gloria Steinem
Women’s History Month is observed globally each March, commemorating women’s rights, suffrage, and peace movements. Also, every March 8th, the International Women’s Day has been celebrated annually around the world for over ninety years.
International Women’s Day was originally commemorated in the United States during the 1910’s, and was revived during the women’s movement in the 1960’s. Since 1975, the International Women’s Day events and celebrations have been sponsored by the United Nations.
The women’s issues the United Nations and International Women’s Day movement have concentrated on include: the burning of over 25,000 brides in India each year because of insufficient dowries; the killing of the women who have been raped to preserve their family’s honor in Jordan, Pakistan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and other Persian Gulf countries; Afghanistan women’s rights and equality; the dreadful practice of female genital mutilation of 85 million to 115 million girls in over 28 African countries; the plague of rape as a weapon of war used in Rwanda, Kuwait, Haiti, Colombia, Yugoslavia, Chiapas, Mexico and elsewhere; and other numerous vital human rights and human issues affecting women around the world today.
In Washington State, a historic action affecting women’s rights took place when Washington Governor Locke approved and signed Substitute House Bill 2381 into law last March 12, 2002. Substitute House Bill 2381, relating to the trafficking of persons, passed the Washington State House of Representatives unanimously with 98 yeas and 0 nays, and passed the Washington State Senate with 43 yeas, 0 nays, and 6 absent.
Washington State Substitute House Bill 2381 declares that the purpose of this act is to provide a coordinated, humane response for victims of human trafficking through a review of existing programs and clarification of existing options for the victims. This bill also creates the Washington State task force against the trafficking of persons, and directs the task force to report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature by November 30, 2002.
House Bill 2381, addressing the trafficking of persons, was sponsored by the following Washington State Representatives: Rep. Veloria, Rep. Van Luven, Rep. Kenney, Rep. Dunshee, Rep. Romero, Rep. O’Brien, Rep. Darneille, Rep. Schual-Berke, Rep. Chase, Rep. Tokuda, Rep. Uthegrove, Rep. Edwards, Rep. Tomiko-Santos, Rep. Kagi, and Rep. Haigh.
For more information about House Bill 2381, please visit the Washington State Legislature website at www.leg.wa.gov.
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©Copyright 2002. Joann Natalia Garcia Aquino. All rights reserved.
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