March 8 is International Women's Day--a day when we can celebrate the enormous advances women have made while pledging to continue to work for greater opportunity for all women. Rooted in the long-term struggle for equality, International Women's Day has been observed since a time when American women were fighting for basic rights, such as voting or fair employment. Today, we see women breaking ground and becoming leaders in business, government, and the military--both here in the United States and overseas. While this is encouraging, many women around the world continue to face significant social and economic obstacles. The official United Nations theme for this International Women's Day is ``Equality for women is progress for all.'' I couldn't agree more; empowering women is one of the most critical tools in our toolbox to fight poverty and injustice. According to some reports, women represent nearly 70 percent of the world's poor. In many regions of the world, a woman's ability to earn a sustained income is severely limited by cultural norms and a lack of opportunity. Economically empowering women is one of the most important tools we have to alleviate poverty. Women around the world participate in the political, social, and economic life of their communities and play a predominate role in providing and caring for their families.…
On the recordMarch 6, 2014
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