A century ago, women in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland celebrated the first International Women’s Day. On that day, over a million women and men in these countries came together with one voice to rally for women’s rights to vote, work and hold public office, and an end to gender discrimination. International Women’s Day, March 8, is now commemorated around the globe, and while full gender equality has yet to be achieved, women have taken huge strides in improving their position in the world.
Room to Read's mission is to help level the playing field for all children, no matter what race, gender, religion or social status by providing educational opportunities. Because two-thirds of the world’s illiterate population are women, we focus extra attention on making sure girls have a chance to become educated and literate within the countries where we work. Our Girls’ Education program currently includes over 10,000 girls in eight different countries in Asia and Africa. Together with local staff, community leaders and family members, Room to Read is building a critical network for each girl—one that will ensure she has a strong foundation in education upon which she can build her future.
Today, we send a special message of respect and appreciation to all the women in Room to Read’s network who work hand-in-hand with thousands of girls in their journeys to become educated young women.
Read Erin's International Women's Day-inspired op-ed "Equal Access to Education = Empowered Workforce" on CNBC.com. Learn more about our Girls’ Education program on our website.
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