International Women's Day TODAY
07:16, 8 March 2010
.. Posted in Development, Relief and Advocacy Efforts.. Link
International Women's Day is today, March 8. It is a worldwide day to recognize women for their achievements, and to discuss the many challenges women and girls face in achieving full access to education, economic and social opportunities all over the world. The theme for 2010 is "Equal rights, equal opportunities: Progress for all."
Today is not a day to give flowers or a pat-on-the-back or take-a-woman-out-to-lunch. It is also not the only day we should recognize women and look for ways for women to be empowered. Empowering women is essential to a country's success and prosperity. Yet, women and girls are undervalued all over the world. Millions of girls are not tracked at all by their governments - there are no systems to record their birth, their citizenship, or even their identity. The 2009 World Economic Forum devoted one of its plenary sessions to the impact of educating girls in developing countries for the first time ever, and noted that only half a cent of every international development dollar currently goes toward girls.
I gather research and articles that confirm that empowering women is essential to development success. While not a gender specialist, I also have a demonstrated commitment to women's issues and mainstreaming women's considerations in my work -- as anyone who works in aid/humanitarian affairs/development should, no matter what the focus of their responsibilities.
Read my favorite resources regarding women's empowerment to learn more about the challenges women face in developing countries and why prosperity and empowerment for women leads to prosperity for everyone. And please post a link to your online activities related to International Women's Day here.
