[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 126, 112th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 8780--MAR. 1, 2012

Proclamation 8780 of March 1, 2012

Women's History Month, 2012

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

As Americans, ours is a legacy of bold independence and passionate
belief in fairness and justice for all. For generations, this intrepid
spirit has driven women pioneers to challenge injustices and shatter
ceilings in pursuit of full and enduring equality. During Women's
History Month, we commemorate their struggles, celebrate centuries of
progress, and reaffirm our steadfast commitment to the rights, security,
and dignity of women in America and around the world.
We see the arc of the American story in the dynamic women who shaped our
present and the groundbreaking girls who will steer our future. Fifty-
one years ago, when former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt confronted
President John F. Kennedy about the lack of women in government, he
appointed her the head of a commission to address the status of women in
America and the discrimination they routinely faced. Though the former
First Lady passed away before the commission finished its work, its
report would spur action across our country and galvanize a movement
toward true gender parity. Our Nation stands stronger for that righteous
struggle, and last March my Administration was proud to release the
first comprehensive Federal report on the status of American women since
President Kennedy's commission in 1963. Today, women serve as leaders
throughout industry, civil society, and government, and their
outstanding achievements affirm to our daughters and sons that no dream
is beyond their reach.
While we have made great strides toward equality, we cannot rest until
our mothers, sisters, and daughters assume their rightful place as full
participants in a secure, prosperous, and just society. With the
leadership of the White House Council on Women and Girls, my
Administration is advancing gender equality by promoting workplace
flexibility, striving to bring more women into math and science
professions, and fighting for equal pay for equal work. We are combating
violence against women by revising an antiquated definition of rape and
harnessing the latest technology to prevent dating violence, domestic
violence, and sexual assault. From securing women's health and safety to
leveling the playing field and ensuring women have full and fair access
to opportunity in the 21st century, we are making deep and lasting
investments in the future of all Americans.
Because the peace and security of nations around the globe depend upon
the education and advancement of women and girls, my Administration has
placed their perspectives and needs at the heart of our foreign policy.
Last December, I released the first United States National Action Plan
on Women, Peace, and Security to help ensure women play an equal role in
peace-building worldwide. By fully integrating women's voices into peace
processes and our work to prevent conflict, protect civilians, and
deliver humanitarian assistance, the United States is bringing effective
support to women in areas of conflict and improving the chances for
lasting peace. In the months ahead, my Administration will continue to
collaborate with domestic and inter-


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national partners on new initiatives
to bring economic and political opportunity to women at home and abroad.
During Women's History Month, we recall that the pioneering legacy of
our grandmothers and great-grandmothers is revealed not only in our
museums and history books, but also in the fierce determination and
limitless potential of our daughters and granddaughters. As we make
headway on the crucial issues of our time, let the courageous vision
championed by women of past generations inspire us to defend the dreams
and opportunities of those to come.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 2012 as Women's
History Month. I call upon all Americans to observe this month and to
celebrate International Women's Day on March 8, 2012, with appropriate
programs, ceremonies, and activities that honor the history,
accomplishments, and contributions of American women. I also invite all
Americans to visit www.WomensHistoryMonth.gov to learn more about the
generations of women who have shaped our history.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of March,
in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of
the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.
BARACK OBAMA