Obama Administration Commemorates Women’s Equality Day

Ariela Fleisig — August 26, 2011 – 12:51 pm | Barack Obama | Civil Rights | Women's Issues Comments (0) Add a comment

Yesterday, President Barack Obama proclaimed today as Women’s Equality Day, calling on all Americans to “celebrate the achievements of women and recommit ourselves to the goal of gender equality in this country.”

In his proclamation, Obama said:

On the 91st anniversary of this landmark in civil rights, we continue to uphold the foundational American principles that we are all equal, and that each of us deserves a chance to pursue our dreams. We honor the heroes who have given of themselves to advance the causes of justice, opportunity, and prosperity. As we celebrate the legacy of those who made enormous strides in the last century and before, we renew our commitment to hold true to the dreams for which they fought, and we look forward to a bright future for our Nation’s daughters.

The President explained a few of the initiatives his administration has worked hard on to further advance women’s equality:

Today, our Nation’s daughters reap the benefits of these courageous pioneers while paving the way for generations of women to come. But work still remains.  My Administration is committed to advancing equality for all of our people. This year, the Council of Women and Girls released ‘Women in America: Indicators of Social and Economic Well-Being,’ the most comprehensive report in 50 years on the status of women in our country, shedding light on issues women face in employment, crime, health, and family life. We are working to ensure that women-owned businesses can compete in the marketplace, that women are not discriminated against in healthcare, and that we redouble our efforts to bring an end to sexual assault on college campuses.

Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis said:

Today, we are a country drawing down from two wars and recovering from another great financial crisis, and once again it is women who are leading this country back. Women have more than doubled our numbers in the American workforce and more than tripled our college attainment in the last 40 years. In fact, more working women have college degrees today than men, while women-owned businesses are growing at four times the rate of businesses owned by men.

That’s why the Labor Department is investing in workforce training for women to help America achieve a full economic recovery. And it’s why we have placed a special emphasis on helping women advance in growing sectors like the clean energy economy, health care and information technology.

Solis further described just some of the Administration’s efforts to achieve full equality:

Our accomplishments are undeniable, but the fight for full equality endures. It has been four decades since the Equal Pay Act was signed into law, but women still only make 81 cents on the dollar compared to men. That’s wrong, and it’s why the Labor Department continues to champion policies to combat pay discrimination, so we can finally achieve a society that offers equal pay for equal work. It’s also why we are vigorously enforcing the Family and Medical Leave Act and promoting flexible workplace initiatives so women can balance the demands of work and home.

The fact that the daughter of first-generation immigrants can become the U.S. Secretary of Labor is proof that women can accomplish anything in this great nation - and is a testament to President Obama’s commitment to helping all Americans achieve their God-given potential.

Women’s Equality Day was established by Congress in 1971 to commemorate the passing of the 19^th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. The legislation that established Women’s Equality Day was championed by former Representative Bella Abzug (D-NY).

Click here to read the President’s proclamation.

Click here to read Solis’ full statement.

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