International Women’s Day (8 March) is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future.

“Gender equality and women’s empowerment are fundamental to the global mission of the United Nations to achieve equal rights and dignity for all… But equality for women and girls is also an economic and social imperative. Until women and girls are liberated from poverty and injustice, all our goals — peace, security, sustainable development — stand in jeopardy.”

Secretary General Ban Ki-moon

Many challenges to gender equality and women’s empowerment require urgent attention

• Little progress has been made on reducing maternal mortality rates.  Every year, 536,000 women and girls die as a result of complications during pregnancy, childbirth or following delivery, the overwhelming majority in developing countries. Most of these complications are largely preventable and treatable.

• Violence against women and girls is a global pandemic, with up to 70 per cent of women experiencing violence in their lifetime. The problem remains universal, with women and girls affected by violence in every region and every country.

• Access to labour markets and to decent work remains limited for women.  Women are more likely than men to have low-paid, low-status and vulnerable jobs, with limited or no social protection or basic rights.

• Serious challenges persist to women’s full and equal participation in senior decision-making positions. These include negative stereotypes about women’s leadership roles and potential, a lack of commitment by political parties and men leaders, inadequate funding and training for women candidates and government officials, and discriminatory selection processes in all sectors and at all levels.

• Women continue to be excluded from or seriously under-represented in peace negotiations, peacebuilding and disarmament processes.

Why do so many challenges remain?

• The prevalence of negative gender stereotypes based on societal beliefs and attitudes affects women and men and constrains their opportunities and choices. Stereotypical assumptions about women in the labour market lead to occupational segregation and a gender wage gap, while the stereotypical view of men as breadwinners limits their involvement in family life.

• Limited involvement on the part of men and boys restrains advances towards gender equality in all areas. Focusing attention on gender issues and building support for social change can only be achieved when men and boys are engaged, for instance, in measures to eliminate violence against women and overcome stereotypes.

• Women’s under-representation in decision-making positions in all sectors limits the incorporation of gender perspectives in public policies and programmes. For example, the absence of women in top positions in peace processes limits the attention given to gender in peace agreements.

• Violence against women represents an obstacle to progress in many sectors, including health, education and employment. Sexual violence at and on the way to school, for instance, is a major impediment to girls’ participation in education.

• Women continue to be responsible for most domestic and caregiving work. This unequal sharing of responsibilities negatively impacts their educational and employment opportunities, and limits their involvement in public life.

In order to progress, governments must give priority attention to addressing the challenges faced by women. It is not enough to adopt laws and policies; they have to be effectively implemented.  Measures to help ensure successful implementation include training public officials, raising women’s awareness of their legal rights, and allocating adequate resources.

Source: United Nations

For further information and resources on International Women’s Day 2010, visit:

International Women’s Day

United Nations

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The driving theme for Global Handwashing day is children and schools, the main objectives of this global celebration are:

• Foster and support a global and local culture of handwashing with soap.
• Shine a spotlight on the state of handwashing in each country.
• Raise awareness about the benefits of handwashing with soap.

Although people around the world wash their hands with water, very few wash their hands with soap at the critical occasions.  More handwashing with soap means lower rates of infectious disease: Clean Hands Save Lives!

Why focus on children?

Of the approximately 120 million children born in the developing world each year, half will live in households without access to improved sanitation, at grave risk to their survival and development. Poor hygiene and lack of access to sanitation together contribute to about 88% of deaths from diarrheal diseases, accounting for 1.5 million diarrhea-related under-five deaths each year. Children suffer disproportionately from diarrheal and respiratory diseases and deaths. But research shows that children – the segment of society so often the most energetic, enthusiastic, and open to new ideas – can also be powerful agents of behavioral change.

Global Handwashing Day

Their mission is to inspire the world to rise to the challenge of the climate crisis—to create a new sense of urgency and of possibility for our planet.

The focus is on the number 350–as in parts per million, the level scientists have identified as the safe upper limit for CO2 in our atmosphere. But 350 is more than a number–it’s a symbol of where we need to head as a planet.

To tackle climate change we need to move quickly, and we need to act in unison—and 2009 will be an absolutely crucial year.  This December, world leaders will meet in Copenhagen, Denmark to craft a new global treaty on cutting emissions. The problem is, the treaty currently on the table doesn’t meet the severity of the climate crisis—it doesn’t pass the 350 test.

I will be participating in a day of action on October 24, 2009.  Actions at hundreds of iconic places around the world – from the Taj Mahal to the Great Barrier Reef to my community in Orange County – will have a clear message to world leaders: the solutions to climate change must be equitable, they must be grounded in science, and they must meet the scale of the crisis.

If an international grassroots movement holds our leaders accountable to the latest climate science, we can start the global transformation we so desperately need.

Join me on October 24, 2009!

International Day of Climate Action

Where: Chapman University
Address: One University Drive, Orange, CA 92866
When: 10:30 am – 1 pm

Yoga Month invites all styles of yoga to participate in an awareness campaign designed to draw attention to the many benefits of yoga and inspire our fellow citizens to live healthier, happier lives.

More info at yogamonth.org.