With more women in the boardroom, greater equality in legislative rights, and an increased critical mass of women’s visibility as impressive role models in every aspect of life, one could think that women have gained true equality. The unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to that of their male counterparts, women still are not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women’s education, health and the violence against them is worse than that of men.

However, great improvements have been made. We do have female astronauts and prime ministers, school girls are welcomed into university, women can work and have a family, women have real choices. And so the tone and nature of IWD has, for the past few years, moved from being a reminder about the negatives to a celebration of the positives.
-internationalwomensday.com

Happy International Women’s Day!

Sending love to all the women and girls in my life, and feeling pride for how far us women have come. We still have a long ways to go – even here in the United States, where we’re still the only democracy that has not ratified CEDAW, the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women – but we’ve made a lot of progress. I’m proud to be a woman, and thankful towards the courageous females who have paved the way for us.

So today, educate yourself on women’s history and rights. Be empowered. Let the important women in your life know how much they mean to you. Honor your foremothers and sisters by realizing your full potential and then start taking those first steps to fulfilling it – don’t let their fight be for naught. You’re more than just a pretty face, you have so much to contribute to society and the world.. the sky is the limit, gurl!

Let’s also take the time to remember the women around the world who don’t have a voice, and speak up for them today.

Women’s Day Links:

• Top 5 Reasons You Should Care About IWD
• Is 2012 the Year for Women and Girls?
• The State of Women in the World
• Reversing “Behind Every Successful Man is a Woman”
• 11 Facts about  Women Around the World
• Women’s Issues in the United States