[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 129, 114th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9346 of October 9, 2015

International Day of the Girl, 2015

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

America has long stood as a beacon of equality and liberty for all.
Safeguarding our founding ideals means ensuring we all have the
opportunity to contribute to our shared progress and forge brighter
futures. On International Day of the Girl, we are reminded that without
the presence and participation of women and girls in our classrooms,
workplaces, and communities, our Nation can never realize its full
potential. As we observe this day, let us renew our commitment to
building a world where all feel valued, safe, and empowered to pursue a
future of equal promise.
In too many places, the stories of women and girls are not always told,
and they are limited by laws and norms and subject to forces that lessen
their range of possibility and the scope of their aspirations. The
United States and our partners around the globe have made significant
strides in advancing opportunities for women and girls and promoting
full gender equality. My Administration remains dedicated to working
with our international allies to protect the rights of all women and
girls. We are working to expand access to quality education and are in

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vesting in programs to combat gender-based violence. Building on my
challenge to the United Nations in September 2011, we established the
Equal Futures Partnership, a multilateral effort that encourages
countries to make commitments to women's political and economic
empowerment.
Right now, more than 62 million girls around the world--half of whom are
adolescent--are not in school and are therefore more vulnerable to HIV/
AIDS, early or forced marriages, and violence. My Administration is
responding with the utmost urgency, and that is why we launched the Let
Girls Learn initiative, which brings together the Department of State,
the United States Agency for International Development, the Peace Corps,
and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, as well as other agencies and
programs, like the President's Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR),
to address the range of challenges preventing adolescent girls from
attending and completing school, and from realizing their potential as
adults.
As we work to advance justice and equality abroad, we are also making it
a priority to combat gender disparities here at home. Thanks to the
Affordable Care Act, health insurers are now prohibited from charging
women higher premiums than men simply because they are female, helping
to make quality, affordable health care accessible for all our people.
We are attracting and supporting girls in careers and educational
pursuits related to sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics--
helping to build a highly-skilled, competitive workforce that draws on
the talents of all Americans to drive our country's greatest
innovations. We are also supporting women-owned businesses and
entrepreneurs through over 100 Women's Business Centers across our
country, and we are continuing the fight to ensure all women are paid
equally and fairly for their work.
Women and girls cannot be fully free to pursue their highest potential
until they are safe from hateful violence and assault. Twenty percent of
American women have been sexually assaulted while in college. That is
why, under the leadership of Vice President Joe Biden, we launched the
1is2many initiative to raise awareness of dating violence and sexual
assault among young people. And we established the White House Task
Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault, as well as ``It's On
Us,'' a campaign designed to combat sexual assault on college campuses
so every student in America is able to pursue an education free from the
fear of intimidation or violence.
This work must encompass all women and girls--regardless of who they are
or what they look like. I am committed to lifting up the lives of women
and girls of color, an intersectionality that is disproportionately
represented in the foster care and juvenile justice systems, who are at
greater risks of violence and are often more susceptible to becoming
victim to commercial sex trafficking. We must continue to improve the
odds for at-risk girls and ensure they are visible, valued, and have
every opportunity to succeed.
Our society must also value all who identify as female. Too many
transgender women and girls face discrimination, violence, and abuse. My
Administration will continue working to break down barriers that hold
transgender girls back, including school bullying, youth homelessness,
and health inequality--because America is a place where all our girls
should be free to live honest and open lives.

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Every person deserves the opportunity to reach for his or her dreams,
regardless of their sex or gender. This is an ideal that has carried our
Nation forward for centuries, and we have an obligation to do everything
in our power to address the injustices that remain throughout society.
Today, we reaffirm our commitment to building a world where all girls
are safe and empowered to pursue a future of limitless possibility.
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 October 11, 2015, as
International Day of the Girl. I call upon the people of the United
States to observe this day with programs, ceremonies, and activities
that advance equality and opportunity for girls everywhere.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this ninth day of
October, in the year of our Lord two thousand fifteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
fortieth.
BARACK OBAMA