United States Observes Women's History Month in March

March 4, 2010

On March 8, 2010, the world will observe this year's International Women's Day, which has been marked for nearly a hundred years. In the early 1900s, millions of women and men in Austria, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, and the United States marched to end discrimination against women and support their right to work, vote, and hold public office.

Since 1987, the United States has observed Women's History Month each March.' The theme for the 2010 National Women's History Project (NWHP) in America is 'Writing Women Back into History.''

The Obama administration, in efforts spearheaded by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, has made women's issues a year-round concern.'' Last year, Secretary Clinton spoke of the plight of women and girls, who make up the majority of the uneducated and unhealthy in the world.' Secretary Clinton focused on women's issues during her visit to Africa in 2009.' She spoke out against gender-based violence on the continent and announced aid programs to help its victims.'' Hailing a U.N. Security Council resolution on the subject, Clinton described violence against women not as an unfortunate characteristic of culture but as a criminal offense.

The U.S. State Department promotes women's economic opportunities as central to other rights and freedoms.' According to Secretary Clinton, 'When women are accorded their rights and afforded equal opportunities in education, health care, and gainful employment, they drive social and economic progress.'

This year on March 10, Secretary Clinton hosts the annual International Women of Courage Awards at the Department of State.'' These awards, established by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, recognize women around the globe who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in advocating human rights.

Also on March 10, Secretary Clinton will present the 'Global Trailblazer Award' to Melinda Gates of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation at the ninth annual Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards celebration at the Kennedy Center in Washington.

'If half of the world's population remains vulnerable to economic, political, legal, and social marginalization, our hope of advancing democracy and prosperity will remain in serious jeopardy,' Secretary Clinton said.' 'We still have a long way to go, and the United States must remain an unambiguous and unequivocal voice in support of women's rights in every country, every region, on every continent.'

Women's History Month carries on a century-old concern about the treatment of women in modern society; 15,000 women workers marched through New York City in 1908 demanding better working hours, higher wages, and voting rights.' The first National Woman's Day was proclaimed by the Socialist Party of America in 1909.' Two years later, European socialist parties and workers' groups observed an International Women's Day.