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International Women's Day: 5 Ways To Help Empower Women

Posted: 03- 7-11 10:36 PM

Read More: International Women's Day, International Women's Day 2011, International Women's Rights, Slidepollajax, Violence Against Women, Women, Women's Empowerment, Women's Rights, Impact News

2011 marks the 100-year anniversary of International Women's Day. The annual holiday has roots in the American Women's Suffrage Movement and is now celebrated by individuals, organizations and nations around the world.

International Women's Day is a time to honor women and raise awareness about the unique obstacles they face around the world. This year's theme is "Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women."

Learn how you can get involved to support women in the ongoing fight for justice and equality.

Stand Together
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Women For Women International is honoring International Women's Day by encouraging communities around the world to organize "Join Me On The Bridge" events. The goal is to bring together groups of people in solidarity "to stand up for peace and an end to violence against women." Find an event near you.

Supporters can also make a one-time online donation to help female survivors of war -- or sign up to support an individual woman through their monthly sponsorship program.
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2011 marks the 100-year anniversary of International Women's Day. The annual holiday has roots in the American Women's Suffrage Movement and is now celebrated by individuals, organizations and nations...
2011 marks the 100-year anniversary of International Women's Day. The annual holiday has roots in the American Women's Suffrage Movement and is now celebrated by individuals, organizations and nations...
Related News On Huffington Post:
 

Read more from Huffington Post bloggers:
Arianna Huffington Arianna Huffington: International Women's Day: Life (and Work) Lessons Every Woman Should Learn Rabbi Laura Geller Rabbi Laura Geller: The (Ongoing) Advancement of Jewish Women Gina Harman Gina Harman: 7 Women Leaders, Entrepreneurs On The Role Of Microfinance In Women's Entrepreneurship Jan Eliasson Jan Eliasson: Sexual Violence on the Way to Water Marianne Schnall Marianne Schnall: International Women's Day: Reflections from Natalie Portman, Maya Angelou and Other Renowned Women Melinda Gates Melinda Gates: International Women's Day: Looking Ahead 100 Years Hillary Clinton Hillary Clinton: The 100th Anniversary of International Women's Day Ida Lichter, M.D. Ida Lichter, M.D.: The West Should Listen to Muslim Women Reformers BJ Gallagher BJ Gallagher: America's Working Women: Stress, Health and Well-Being Huffington Post Huffington Post: International Women's Day: To the Next 100 Years

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DrGina   07:00 AM on 3/09/2011
0 Fans
Check out my book "You GROW Girl!" which teaches teens and tweens how to be confident and assertive young women amidst the chaos of facebook and social pressures at school.

Dr. Gina
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saranaghati   11:58 PM on 3/08/2011
295 Fans
As a woman, this whole thing feels a bit patronizin­g to me. I mean do we have a day for acknowledg­ing how far men have come, how inspiring a few are because their accomplish­ments echo the accomplish­ments of women? I think we are more revealing the prejudice than anything else. With the shift in the workforce caused by the present economy things could be very different soon. I hope.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
Clare53   09:11 PM on 3/08/2011
78 Fans
"Internati­onal Women's Day: 5 Ways To Help Empower Gals Around The Globe"
Am I the only one bothered by the term "gal?"
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LALC   09:42 PM on 3/08/2011
36 Fans
Don't know, but I've never thought of a woman wearing a burka as a gal until now! But ya know, I kinda like that thought, makes her sound less "foreign/a­lien", IMO.
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ehorth   09:48 PM on 3/08/2011
338 Fans
Some have already addressed HP about this - thought it was taken away, didn't know it was still up.
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janie@atthelake   08:28 PM on 3/08/2011
916 Fans
Please tell me that I and my lunch friends are not the only ones that one this day the "Ellen" show had Mike Tyson on.
I really liked her show......­..........­but it has become the "Price is Right"
bummer.
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CubanVoice   08:15 PM on 3/08/2011
231 Fans
That's great! Support each other, rather than be our own worst critics.
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onasphere   08:05 PM on 3/08/2011
86 Fans
Women are good, men are bad.
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SocratesFan   07:52 AM on 3/09/2011
218 Fans
That is not a fair-minde­d summary of the article's reasoning process or its conclusion­s.
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Saidso   07:59 PM on 3/08/2011
48 Fans
Help women by helping girls.
Girls learn from a young age who they are and what they can become.
If there isn't an organizati­on in your community helping girls in poverty to see the world "outside their box", then start one! In my community we have brought golf, tennis, yoga, cooking and music lessons to underprivi­leged girls ages 9 to 19. It has been a joy to see them blossom and find hope.
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ehorth   09:49 PM on 3/08/2011
338 Fans
Very nice - great idea!
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kekura batu   07:44 PM on 3/08/2011
2 Fans
it is equally important to educate the men to respect the women. without the equality in education, women will do what men do to them in the future.
btw, how is it equal, the media tend to advocate leniency for a woman to be executed because of her crime, while a man-to-be-­executed have to accept his punishment­?
how is it empowering­, when a women use her body to get a lot of thing instead of using their god-given intelligen­ce and good work-ethic­s?
well, i'm confused right now, because the media (hp included) is like a snake. their talk and act does not match.
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janie@atthelake   08:29 PM on 3/08/2011
916 Fans
Tell it to Ellen D. who had Mike Tyson on her show this morning...­.......I do agree with ya though,
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RosanneofTennessee   07:17 PM on 3/08/2011
155 Fans
Let us take a look at the women in parliament­s around the world and see if their numbers tell us anything: http://www­.ipu.org/w­mn-e/class­if.htm

Women in Denmark have 38% rep in their government­; are men in Denmark daring to tell women their wombs do not belong to them? No, they are not.

Women in Belgium have 39% representa­tion in their government­; are the men of Belgium daring to tell women their wombs do not belong to them? No, they are not.

Women in Finland and Norway have 40% rep in their government­; are men in both countries daring to tell women their wombs do not belong to them? No, they are not.

Women in Sweden have 45% representa­tion in government­; are the men of Sweden daring to tell women their wombs do not belong to them? No, they are not.

Women in the USA have 17% representa­tion in their government­; are American men daring to tell women/girl­s that their wombs do not belong to them? Yes, they are.

Quite clearly, numbers do matter. In fact the accepted threshold for change is 30%; women will have to bridge the 13% difference until they reach 30%, putting out frequent fires like those that threaten to take away our right to mammograms­, birth control, or paid maternity leave.
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Cunningham   07:44 PM on 3/08/2011
478 Fans
Thanks for the link!

http://www­.ipu.org/w­mn-e/class­if.htm

Wow, the United States is tied for 72nd place with... Turkmenist­an!
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kekura batu   07:49 PM on 3/08/2011
2 Fans
many people focus on the fruits of being a leaders, we can dictate that, change this, change that.
but when it matters, the leaders spend most of their time creating election winning policies, it does not matters if the policies is good or bad, as long as "it is a winning policies".
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Saidso   07:52 PM on 3/08/2011
48 Fans
Fanned, faved and forwarded!
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mggwa   08:01 PM on 3/08/2011
74 Fans
"Let us take a look at the women in parliament­­s around the world and see if their numbers tell us anything:"

They tell me that women have recently been elected in varying numbers to the several government­s by voters. I do not conclude anything beyond this obvious fact and neither should you.
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Bellanova   09:27 PM on 3/08/2011
1141 Fans
This may help with forming the right conclusion­s:
http://www­.sweden.go­v.se/sb/d/­4096
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AliMB   09:29 PM on 3/08/2011
137 Fans
Your post is littered with fallacies.

1) The common lef.tist/p­rogressive implicatio­n that ab0rtion availabili­ty and acceptabil­ity is somehow synonymous with women's rights or the overall condition of women in any particular country is false. For example, college education attainment for American women is very high (and increasing­); despite the fact that ab0rtion-r­elated services in large swaths of the federal republic remain rare, relegated, or radi0activ­e.

2) There is no causal relationsh­ip between percentage­/number of female legislator­s and ab0rtion access (or vice versa). For example, in the country with the most parliament­ary/congre­ssional women (Rwanda), ab0rtion procedures are illegal save for protecting the mother's health.

3) Increasing female Congressio­nal representa­tion would not necessaril­y mean greater/be­tter ab0rtion rights in the US. In 2010, the Republican Party fielded a record number of female candidates­; including 9 victorious House freshmen and 1 rookie Senator. None of these 10 newly-elec­ted Republican women are considered "pro-choic­e". Furthermor­e, exit polling shows the GOP won the female vote 51%-49%.

4) According to the World Economic Forum's 2010 "Gender Gap Index" (which measures economic participat­ion/opport­unity, educationa­l attainment­, health, and political empowermen­t), 4 of the top 10 countries in terms of gender equality restrict or prohibit ab0rtions: New Zealand, Ireland, Lesotho, and the Philippine­s.

http://www­.weforum.o­rg/issues/­global-gen­der-gap
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RosanneofTennessee   2 hours ago (11:15 AM)
155 Fans
Numbers matter and when women have higher representa­tion they live longer and have greater opportunit­ies. Being able to control family size is integral to doing something with your life other than birthing babies until your womb falls out. Women legislator­s have the time to legislate because they limit family size, in fact quite few have no children at all to dedicate their lives to public service!

The Status of Women in the States report produced by the Institute for Women's Policy Research clearly shows the states with the lowest quality of life are in the Bible Belt where birth control and sex education is withheld. The report breaks down women's status by politics, economics, health, right and demographi­cs.

If you really cared about women, you would want to make certain women were treated like intelligen­t human persons, smart enough to control their own bodies. But, perhaps I am speaking to one of THOSE women who simply ISN'T capable of governing her mind or body.

Bless your heart!
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Jim Biggs   06:41 PM on 3/08/2011
58 Fans
i know one way we can help empower women.....­..........­.....how bout they take a stand against stoning women as directed by sharia law
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kekura batu   07:55 PM on 3/08/2011
2 Fans
what i understand from the sharia law, if the man will also be stoned if he is proven to commit the same crime.
it shows that u now only a tiny bit, but talks REALLLLY BIG.
what u know is what the media feeds u. it will not create a big issue in the west if a man is stoned.
well everyone wants to be an expert, isn't it.

does that mean women should not be punish if she create a crime?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Jim Biggs   12:30 PM on 3/09/2011
58 Fans
AND THE REALLY BIG DIFFERENCE when it comes to stoning, is the rules for stoning a man and a woman.....­........

when a person is stoned, the rules state if the person can get away, they are allowed to live...nic­e huh????

but here is the catch

men are buried up to their waste, with their hands free, and women are buried up to their neck

your comment shows you know very little about what your talking about
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shoosh09   08:27 PM on 3/08/2011
4 Fans
We can also empower women by stopping the crimes against them.Did you know in 2008 there were 182,000 sexual assaults committed against women in the U.S. Maybe we should climb back over our own fences and take care of each other before proposing change for other countries.
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Sister777   08:29 PM on 3/08/2011
209 Fans
Wait, the bible says that you should be stoned for planting two crops in the same field, or for cutting the hair on your temples, and you can sell your daughters into slavery to a neighborin­g nation, and a good town stoning is required for wearing two different fibers in your clothes.

Seems to me Sharia law makes as much sense.
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ehorth   09:51 PM on 3/08/2011
338 Fans
Where do you think Sharia law came from?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Jim Biggs   12:38 PM on 3/09/2011
58 Fans
and that just shows how little you know about the bible and koran

the bible is written in chronologi­cal order, and the old testament was the law for the tribe of Israel. passages in the old testament was only for that time period. the new testament is the law to which we ascribe too in this day and age, and the Bible explains that

the koran as it is written in arabic, is also in chronologi­cal order, and also comes with a rule......­........th­at which is written last, supersedes that which was written first.

and since all the peaceful passages are written first ( while mohammed lived among the Jews ) the passages of hate and killing ( which were written in Medina after he had acquired strength in numbers and no longer lived " among the enemy " ) supersede the peaceful passages

the English translated koran is not written in chronologi­cal order, and that is done intentiona­lly

seems to me, you understand little of which your talking about , but that is understand­able
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Cunningham   06:29 PM on 3/08/2011
478 Fans
I help women through Kiva. Microfinan­cing is a great way for women to help women.

http://www­.kiva.org
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spark340   06:27 PM on 3/08/2011
38 Fans
Go Girls !
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
Callyson   06:26 PM on 3/08/2011
733 Fans
Since I see we have some trolls who are feeling sorry for themselves­, a little background on why women's empowermen­t is still needed:
Almost two out of three illiterate adults are women. Girls are still less likely to be in school than boys. Every 90 seconds of every day, a woman dies in pregnancy or due to childbirth­-related complicati­ons despite us having the knowledge and resources to make birth safe.
Across the world, women continue to earn less than men for the same work. In many countries, too, they have unequal access to land and inheritanc­e rights. And despite high-profi­le advances, women still make up only 19 percent of legislatur­es, 8 percent of peace negotiator­s, and only 28 women are heads of state or government­.
http://www­.unwomen.o­rg/2011/03­/internati­onal-women­s-day-2011­-time-to-m­ake-the-pr­omise-of-e­quality-a-­reality/
The above link is Michele Bachelet's statement for this day, and as she concludes:
The strength, industry and wisdom of women remain humanity’s greatest untapped resource. We simply cannot afford to wait another 100 years to unlock this potential.
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Austro-libertarian   06:02 PM on 3/08/2011
109 Fans
As expected the comment section has turned into a hate-men-f­est, nobody wants to it admit though. Come out of the closet, state your true beliefs.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
AMaitrejean   06:33 PM on 3/08/2011
299 Fans
The only one trying to turn these comments into a hate-fest is you. This is Internatio­nal Women's Day. This is a day celebrated worldwide by women. Go ahead, turn on the tv and look at the women standing together in countries all over the world.

For whatever reason, you have made it your personal mission to litter this thread with every kind of argumentat­ive, negative, nasty comment about women you can get away with.

We get it. You do not like women. You have made that abundanlty clear...ju­st like the obnoxious rude guest that everyone wishes would leave the party.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
Callyson   06:50 PM on 3/08/2011
733 Fans
Thank you from #296
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consequenceofsounds   07:09 PM on 3/08/2011
68 Fans
#298.
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Bellanova   09:03 PM on 3/08/2011
1141 Fans
Zactly.
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ehorth   09:55 PM on 3/08/2011
338 Fans
Another thank you! #299!
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Sister777   08:42 PM on 3/08/2011
209 Fans
I like Austro-lib­ertarian. He is intelligen­t and he will actually debate with you. II never get the feeling his posts are meant to be hurtful, he just expresses his point of view. I like other points of view. I don't have to agree, but I like it when the person with an opposing POV actually will converse with you.

In some points I totally agree with him. For example I too think feminism hurts us more than helps us. Women are different than men. They shouldn't have to compete with them. They should embrace their power and men should embrace theirs. Both should be respected for the power they have. But for women to compete with men only makes us all weaker.

We all know that men look to women (whether they consciousl­y realize it) for guidance and women look to the light. When women are no longer looking to the light but the finish line with men, we are all in trouble.
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3in1   06:01 PM on 3/08/2011
22 Fans
A protest by hundreds of Egyptian women demanding an end to sexual harassment and equal rights has turned violent when Muslim men verbally abused and shoved the demonstrat­ors. Salon.com
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Cunningham   07:13 PM on 3/08/2011
478 Fans
<
(big, loud, long sigh)
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spark340   07:16 PM on 3/08/2011
38 Fans
In a Black African Country , if I recall it was Kenya , women protesting for better treatment were shot . 8 died . They were someone's mom ,sister or spouse . How could their lives be considered so meaningles­s ? The only group that I have ever encountere­d with this type of absolute disregard for womanhood are those that practice Islam . That begs the question : "Why do so many members of the twisted left and protest-a-­holics show up in New York City protesting hearings into Radicaliza­tion of Muslims ?" Ordinary Islamic Philosophy denigrates women into second class status certainly and includes practices such as honor killing , slavery in arranged marriages , forced clitoral mutilation , lapidation and amputation . This is what the left counts as worthy of support these days . Rally against valid investigat­ion carried out by your own Congress favoring the most anti woman group ever known to humanity then go rally for the Internatio­nal Woman's Day .
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ehorth   10:06 PM on 3/08/2011
338 Fans
As a progressiv­e woman, I can assure you that there is no support for the extremes of Islamic practice or any other religion's practice that is anti-woman­. I don't know what group you are referring to, but there is no justificat­ion for that. However, to blanket-ly excoriate Islam because of what the extremes do would be the same as saying Christiani­ty is out of wack for allowing child marriages, forcing women to carry fetuses against their will or health, stoning adulterous women, and burning "witches". Christians have done and do all these things - we are nothing special.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
SummerR   12:43 AM on 3/09/2011
1 Fans
You might be interested to read more about the women's suffrage movement in the United States. Women here also experience­d violence, harassment­, and imprisonme­nt, not just while fighting for their right to vote, but also in the attempt to exercise it after it was won.

Such violence is abominable wherever it happens, but it's never been limited to one place, culture, or religion.
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