International Women's Day Highlights Contributions, Challenges of Women

By: Jennifer Seeker Conroy

Women are an increasingly powerful force worldwide, but they still face inequalities. March 8th is International Women's Day, a time for women around the globe to celebrate achievements and draw attention to disparities.

International Women's day started about 100 years ago and is now observed on every continent. Women have made great strides in the world over the past century, but there is still progress to be made. Women make up almost half of the workforce. As more women have had the chance to join the global workforce, their leadership has created millions of new jobs and generated trillions in revenue.

However women still face very real economic injustices. Women in the United States still earn only 77 cents for every one dollar earned by a man. In the developing world, that figure drops to 73 cents for every one dollar. Many women who wish to return to the workforce after having children face obstacles and fewer choices.

A world with economic security and equal opportunity for women would be more prosperous. Goldman Sachs calculates that increasing women's participation in the labor market to the same as men would boost GDP by 21% in Italy, 19% in Spain, 16% in Japan, 9% in the United States, France, and Germany, and 8% in Britain.

A Fund For Women thoughtfully awards grants to organizations and programs devoted to tackling the unique challenges faced by women and girls so they can reach their ultimate potential. AFFW shows women that by pooling their resources into focused philanthropy, true societal change is possible.

AFFW grantees include Centro Hispano, YWCA, Rape Crisis Center, Domestic Abuse Intervention Services, Goodman Community Center, East Madison Community Center, and dozens of other programs working for women and girls. By combining their talents and resources of both time and money through AFFW, women are able to change the community in which they live.

This March 8th, mark International Women's Day by renewing your commitment to AFFW to ensure critical funding continues to improve the lives of women and girls in our community.