Women's History Month, 2012

Proclamation 8780 of March 1, 2012

Women's History Month, 2012

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

As Americans, ours is a legacy of bold independence and
passionate belief in fairness and justice for all. For
generations, this intrepid spirit has driven women
pioneers to challenge injustices and shatter ceilings
in pursuit of full and enduring equality. During
Women's History Month, we commemorate their struggles,
celebrate centuries of progress, and reaffirm our
steadfast commitment to the rights, security, and
dignity of women in America and around the world.

We see the arc of the American story in the dynamic
women who shaped our present and the groundbreaking
girls who will steer our future. Forty-one years ago,
when former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt confronted
President John F. Kennedy about the lack of women in
government, he appointed her the head of a commission
to address the status of women in America and the
discrimination they routinely faced. Though the former
First Lady passed away before the commission finished
its work, its report would spur action across our
country and galvanize a movement toward true gender
parity. Our Nation stands stronger for that righteous
struggle, and last March my Administration was proud to
release the first comprehensive Federal report on the
status of American women since President Kennedy's
commission in 1963. Today, women serve as leaders
throughout industry, civil society, and government, and
their outstanding achievements affirm to our daughters
and sons that no dream is beyond their reach.

While we have made great strides toward equality, we
cannot rest until our mothers, sisters, and daughters
assume their rightful place as full participants in a
secure, prosperous, and just society. With the
leadership of the White House Council on Women and
Girls, my Administration is advancing gender equality
by promoting workplace flexibility, striving to bring
more women into math and science professions, and
fighting for equal pay for equal work. We are combating
violence against women by revising an antiquated
definition of rape and harnessing the latest technology
to prevent dating violence, domestic violence, and
sexual assault. From securing women's health and safety
to leveling the playing field and ensuring women have
full and fair access to opportunity in the 21st
century, we are making deep and lasting investments in
the future of all Americans.

Because the peace and security of nations around the
globe depend upon the education and advancement of
women and girls, my Administration has placed their
perspectives and needs at the heart of our foreign
policy. Last December, I released the first United
States National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and
Security to help ensure women play an equal role in
peace-building worldwide. By fully integrating women's
voices into peace processes and our work to prevent
conflict, protect civilians, and deliver humanitarian
assistance, the United States is bringing effective
support to women in areas of conflict and improving the
chances for lasting peace. In the months ahead, my
Administration will continue to collaborate with
domestic and international partners on new initiatives
to bring economic and political opportunity to women at
home and abroad.

During Women's History Month, we recall that the
pioneering legacy of our grandmothers and great-
grandmothers is revealed not only in our museums and
history books, but also in the fierce determination and
limitless potential of our daughters and
granddaughters. As we make headway on the crucial
issues of our time, let the courageous vision
championed by women of past generations inspire us to
defend the dreams and opportunities of those to come.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim March 2012 as Women's
History Month. I call upon all Americans to observe
this month and to celebrate International Women's Day
on March 8, 2012, with appropriate programs,
ceremonies, and activities that honor the history,
accomplishments, and contributions of American women. I
also invite all Americans to visit
www.WomensHistoryMonth.gov to learn more about the
generations of women who have shaped our history.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
first day of March, in the year of our Lord two
thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.