Media CenterGirls Count Act Passage an Important Step to Eradicate Poverty and Protect Girls

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Michael Hill
Catholic Relief Services
443-955-7110
[email protected]

WASHINGTON, DC, May 21, 2015 -- The House Foreign Affairs and Senate Foreign Relations Committees each passed nearly identical versions of the Girls Count Act today, setting the stage for floor votes. The legislation supports programs in developing countries to improve birth registration for girls and boys, and promotes policies that prevent discrimination against girls.

“Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is pleased to see this legislation moving forward in Congress,” stated Bill O’Keefe, Vice President for Advocacy and Government Relations.

“Birth registration is a cost-effective and fundamental way to help all children, especially girls, to access critical services such as education.” O’Keefe noted that registration can reduce children’s vulnerabilities to trafficking and other exploitation. “Birth registration reduces the risk that innocent girls will be trafficked in the chaos following natural disasters, such as the earthquakes which recently struck Nepal.”

“CRS will continue our own critical efforts to register children, facilitate registration and ensure access to key services. We will also continue to work with governments to build their capacity to provide such services.”

CRS appreciates Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH); and Representatives Ed Royce (R-CA), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Steve Chabot (R-OH), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Chris Smith (R-NJ), and Brad Sherman (D-CA) for their respective leadership on this bipartisan legislation.

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Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. The agency alleviates suffering and provides assistance to people in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding. For more information, please visit crs.org or crsespanol.org and follow CRS on social media: Facebook, Twitter at @CatholicRelief and @CRSnews,  Google+, Pinterest and YouTube.