Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) issued the following statement on International Women’s Day and the introduction of her Resolution to recognize March 8th, 2011 as the 100th anniversary:
“Today I introduced a resolution to honor the value and power of all women and girls – whose ordinary lives are actually quite extraordinary – on this 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day. My resolution, and also this day, is meant to highlight the contributions made by our sisters all around the world.
“March 8, 2011, will be marked across the globe as a time to celebrate women’s gains and to reaffirm our commitment to ending discrimination and violence against women, ensuring the safety and welfare of women and girls, and pursuing policies to guarantee the basic rights of women and girls.
“From the mothers raising their children as single parents to the women who are breaking through the glass ceiling toward income equality; from the women who have been victims of “honor” killings to the girls who are prevented from education simply because of their gender – all deserve recognition on this day. We have made incredible gains, but we have a long way yet to go before we reach parity.
“A century ago, women in the United States didn’t even have the right to vote. Today, there are prominent women serving in high levels of government across the world, leading Fortune 500 companies, creating small businesses, and working to improve the quality of the lives of their families, communities and nations.
“Despite the progress that has been made, women continue to face substantial political and economic obstacles. Women remain a small minority in virtually all national and local legislative bodies. Globally, nearly 1,000 women die, every day, from childbirth and pregnancy related causes. Nearly 70 percent of the 1.3 billion people living in poverty around the world are women and children. Domestic violence causes more deaths and disability among women between the ages of 15 and 44 than cancer, malaria, traffic accidents, and war combined.
“Today we celebrate the more than 3 billion women in the world and the strides they have made in all sectors, but we also shine a light on the work still left to be done in order to achieve true equality.”