Russ Feingold: “I am pleased to commemorate International Women's Day, celebrated on March 8. International Women's Day gives us all an…”

“I am pleased to commemorate International Women's Day, celebrated on March 8. International Women's Day gives us all an opportunity to reflect on women's accomplishments around the world and to reaffirm our commitment to continuing the vitally important work of securing and advancing women's rights, particularly their health, education, and security. Today, we can all marvel at the outstanding contributions that women make every day to their communities, their countries, and the entire world. We can reflect on the work of Wangari Maathai, the Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize winner, whose brave and insistent voice on behalf of human rights and environmental protection found an audience not just on the global stage, and not just among elites in government, but among the women of her country, who have made the Green Belt Movement a success. We can celebrate the bravery of Afghan women, who have participated in elections even as the memory of the Taliban's brutal repression of their rights remains so fresh. Women accounted for 41 percent of the October 2004 vote in Afghanistan, and women hold 102 seats of Afghanistan's Constitutional Loya Jirga. We can reflect on the wonderful welcome that Dora Bakoyiannis, the mayor of Athens, extended to the world during this year's Olympic ceremonies. But in too many parts of the world, the basic human rights of women are violated with impunity.”