Even
though they make up half
the population, women
and girls have endured
discrimination in most
societies for thousands
of years. In the past,
women were treated as
property of their husbands
or fathers - they couldn't
own land, they couldn't
vote or go to school,
and they could be beaten
and abused. Over the last
hundred years, much progress
has been made to gain
equal rights for women
around the world, but
many still live without
the rights to which all
people are entitled.
International
Women's Day is an opportunity
to celebrate the victories
for equality that women
have won, and to rededicate
our commitment to eliminate
discrimination against
women.
The
United Nations Charter
was a major milestone
for women's rights because
it was the first international
agreement to affirm the
equality between men and
women. Since then, the
UN has been an important
advocate for the rights
of women, adopting an
international bill of
rights for women in 1979
and sponsoring four global
women's conferences. The
Millennium Development
Goals, which all nations
agreed to at the UN in
2000, sets tangible goals
for nations to achieve
by 2015, several of which
deal directly with empowering
women.
International
Women's Day and Women's
Equality Day, celebrated
on August 26, commemorating
the certification of the
19th Amendment granting
women the right to vote,
are important annual rallying
points to build support
for the rights of women
everywhere.
Links
UN's
Women Watch site
Center
for Women's Global Leadership
Global
Fund for Women
Women's
Human Rights Resources
Women's
International League for
Peace & Freedom
March
8 - International Women's
Day
International
Women's Day
Cyberschoolbus
International Women's
Day page
UN's
Dag Hammarskjold Library
Links
UNESCO:
International Women's
Day
UN
Days & Years Meditation
Initiative
August
26 - Women's Equality
Day
CreativeFolk.com
National
Women's History Project
WOMEN'S
RIGHTS Quotes
