FROM: Teresa C. Younger, Executive Director (Cell: 860/305-6583) DATE: March 8, 2012 RE: International Women’s Day
“The current attack on the rights of women and girls is profound and coming from many fronts. Whether it takes the form of efforts to limit access to the full range of reproductive healthcare, attempts to silence individual women through public media ridicule, or the attrition in the numbers of women on corporate boards and in elective office, gender discrimination is rampant.
“While we can always point to signs of progress, on International Women’s Day, I think it’s important to remember there is still plenty of work to be done. By focusing on the inequities, we can propel our society forward.
“PCSW has the following recommendations as legitimate ways to ‘celebrate’ this day: • Ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the United Nations’ international treaty that is considered an international Women’s Bill of Rights. Currently, the failure of the United States to ratify CEDAW puts us in league with Iran, Sudan, Somalia and only four other countries. If women’s rights are not ensured, human rights are not ensured, and so the United States’ inaction on CEDAW makes it hard to defend America’s reputation as a world leader in human rights. • Reject the efforts by religious and ideologically-based groups to limit or roll back women’s reproductive rights. Contraception, abortion and the Plan B pill are necessary components of legal, safe and effective healthcare for women. • Reinstate full funding of the Women’s Bureau at the Department of Labor, which is currently at risk of a 22% budget slash. Since early in 1920, when women couldn’t vote, the Women’s Bureau has worked on such critical issues as enforcement of anti-discrimination laws, public education, research, and outreach on issues critical to women’s economic security, including the pay gap and career gender bias. • Retain the Women’s Access to Non-Traditional Occupations (WANTO) program. Again, why cut a program that fosters economic self-reliance at a time when it is most needed? WANTO funds to community-based organizations help train women for manufacturing and trades that pay a living wage at a time when more and more women are becoming the primary breadwinners for the families.”
Today is International Women’s Day, a day that celebrates the economic, political and social achievements of women - past, present and future.
This year, the theme of International Women’s Day is near and dear to my heart: Empower Women – End Hunger and Poverty. This year we recognize the efforts made by women across the world who have made a difference in the fight against hunger and poverty.
This cause is so important. Hunger is the world's number one health risk. Around the world, one billion people -- 1 in 7 -- are under-nourished -- more than the combined population of the United States, Canada, and the entire European Union. And the majority of those going hungry are women. In our own country, one in seven households was food insecure last year, meaning they were not sure where their next meal was coming from. As both a member and the former Chairwoman of the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee in the House of Representatives, I have worked hard to strengthen our national commitment to ending hunger and improving nutrition, both here and abroad.
In many countries, International Women’s Day is designated as a federal holiday. Yet across our own country, we have seen a debate in Congress over women's access to health services. Republicans in Congress even refused to allow any women to testify on a panel about women's access to health care. It led my colleagues and I to ask, where are the women?
Republicans will stop at nothing to silence women, and deny us access to basic, preventive health care. You have my word, I will continue to fight back against these outrageous attacks.
[...] In America today, women make up half of the workforce, and two thirds of women are either the sole bread-winner or co-breadwinner in their family. Women are also more likely than men to graduate from college. They run more than 10 million businesses with combined annual sales of $1.1 trillion, and are responsible for making 80% of consumer buying decisions.
And yet, a decade into the 21st century, for every dollar that men earn, women make only 77 cents – 76 cents here in Connecticut. Indeed, with Republicans continuing their attempts to slash funding for programs that disproportionally affect women and children, now is the time to make our voices heard on all issues vital to women.
2 comments:
FROM: Teresa C. Younger, Executive Director (Cell: 860/305-6583)
DATE: March 8, 2012
RE: International Women’s Day
“The current attack on the rights of women and girls is profound and coming from many fronts. Whether it takes the form of efforts to limit access to the full range of reproductive healthcare, attempts to silence individual women through public media ridicule, or the attrition in the numbers of women on corporate boards and in elective office, gender discrimination is rampant.
“While we can always point to signs of progress, on International Women’s Day, I think it’s important to remember there is still plenty of work to be done. By focusing on the inequities, we can propel our society forward.
“PCSW has the following recommendations as legitimate ways to ‘celebrate’ this day:
• Ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the United Nations’ international treaty that is considered an international Women’s Bill of Rights. Currently, the failure of the United States to ratify CEDAW puts us in league with Iran, Sudan, Somalia and only four other countries. If women’s rights are not ensured, human rights are not ensured, and so the United States’ inaction on CEDAW makes it hard to defend America’s reputation as a world leader in human rights.
• Reject the efforts by religious and ideologically-based groups to limit or roll back women’s reproductive rights. Contraception, abortion and the Plan B pill are necessary components of legal, safe and effective healthcare for women.
• Reinstate full funding of the Women’s Bureau at the Department of Labor, which is currently at risk of a 22% budget slash. Since early in 1920, when women couldn’t vote, the Women’s Bureau has worked on such critical issues as enforcement of anti-discrimination laws, public education, research, and outreach on issues critical to women’s economic security, including the pay gap and career gender bias.
• Retain the Women’s Access to Non-Traditional Occupations (WANTO) program. Again, why cut a program that fosters economic self-reliance at a time when it is most needed? WANTO funds to community-based organizations help train women for manufacturing and trades that pay a living wage at a time when more and more women are becoming the primary breadwinners for the families.”
From Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro:
Today is International Women’s Day, a day that celebrates the economic, political and social achievements of women - past, present and future.
This year, the theme of International Women’s Day is near and dear to my heart: Empower Women – End Hunger and Poverty. This year we recognize the efforts made by women across the world who have made a difference in the fight against hunger and poverty.
This cause is so important. Hunger is the world's number one health risk. Around the world, one billion people -- 1 in 7 -- are under-nourished -- more than the combined population of the United States, Canada, and the entire European Union. And the majority of those going hungry are women. In our own country, one in seven households was food insecure last year, meaning they were not sure where their next meal was coming from. As both a member and the former Chairwoman of the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee in the House of Representatives, I have worked hard to strengthen our national commitment to ending hunger and improving nutrition, both here and abroad.
In many countries, International Women’s Day is designated as a federal holiday. Yet across our own country, we have seen a debate in Congress over women's access to health services. Republicans in Congress even refused to allow any women to testify on a panel about women's access to health care. It led my colleagues and I to ask, where are the women?
Republicans will stop at nothing to silence women, and deny us access to basic, preventive health care. You have my word, I will continue to fight back against these outrageous attacks.
[...]
In America today, women make up half of the workforce, and two thirds of women are either the sole bread-winner or co-breadwinner in their family. Women are also more likely than men to graduate from college. They run more than 10 million businesses with combined annual sales of $1.1 trillion, and are responsible for making 80% of consumer buying decisions.
And yet, a decade into the 21st century, for every dollar that men earn, women make only 77 cents – 76 cents here in Connecticut. Indeed, with Republicans continuing their attempts to slash funding for programs that disproportionally affect women and children, now is the time to make our voices heard on all issues vital to women.
[...]
Thank you for all that you do.
Sincerely,
Rosa DeLauro
Member of Congress
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