Dick Lugar: “I rise today, International Women's Day, in support of this resolution celebrating some of the progress that we and…”

“I rise today, International Women's Day, in support of this resolution celebrating some of the progress that we and other nations are making in fostering improvement in the status of women. The resolution commends the Kingdom of Lesotho for enacting the Legal Capacity of Married Persons law which elevates the status of married women and provides them with property rights. Prior to this law, married women in Lesotho were considered legal minors, denying them the right to enter into binding contracts or have standing in civil court. International Women's Day is a day on which we reaffirm the commitment to the struggle by women worldwide for peace, justice, and equality before the law. We also take this opportunity to recognize how far we have come since the first International Women's Day was celebrated in the United States in 1909 when American women were still fighting for the right to vote and a role in the political process. Today we are able to celebrate the many accomplishments by women worldwide in the areas of health, science, education, and politics.”