To the Editor:
March is Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day was celebrated March 8. The commemoration has its roots historically in the U.S. in the 1800s when female factory workers stood up for just labor conditions. Congress eventually established Women’s History Month in 1987. The International Women’s Day is celebrated worldwide and four United Nations women’s conferences have built support for women’s rights and participation in the political and economic arenas.
We have an opportunity and responsibility to recognize and highlight the many contributions of women locally and globally. Women have been and still are the backbone and heart of every community. The efforts made by women to improve and enhance our quality of life are too numerous to mention. Recognizing their efforts enhances everyone’s history. We are in debt to them and grateful for their leadership.
Recently in Oslo, Norway, a 17-year-old young woman named Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan and Kailash Satyarthi of India received the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to advocate for the basic rights and education of children and young adults. Malala, the youngest-ever Nobel winner, addressed the group imploring, “I have the right of education. I have the right to play. I have the right to sing. I have the right to talk. I have the right to go to market. I have the right to speak up.” Let this be a reminder to all of us of the need to do more work to ensure that each person’s basic rights and dignity will be fully recognized.
Nancy Miller, OSF
Franciscan Peace Center
