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| President and Mrs Obama on International Women's Day |
Obama on International Women's Day: Empowering women the smart thing to do
"Empowering women isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s the smart thing to do," he said in a statement. "When women succeed, nations are more safe, more secure, and more prosperous. Over the last year, we’ve seen women and girls inspiring communities and entire countries to stand up for freedom and justice, and I’m proud of my Administration’s efforts to promote gender equality worldwide."
As part of the administration's International Women's Day celebration, first Lady Michelle Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry were scheduled to present "International Women of Courage" awards to 10 women at the State Department Friday. As POLITICO's Katie Glueck reported, one of those awards has been delayed pending an investigation of one recipient's potentially anti-Semitic and anti-American tweets. But the rest of the ceremony is scheduled to go forward.
Obama, in his statement, touted the country's efforts to promote women's "economic empowerment and political participation, to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, and to strengthen our commitment to helping more women participate in peacebuilding and conflict resolution.
"We are promoting food security initiatives that recognize the rights and needs of women farmers, and ensuring that women and girls are at the center of global health programs. And we will continue to focus on empowering women and girls at home and abroad," he said. "We’ve also worked with a wide range of partners – from the United Nations and civil society groups to the private sector – to advance this important agenda. Because when it comes to creating a world in which our sons and daughters can reach their potential, we each have a role to play. And we can make even more progress together."
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