[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 130, 114th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9477 of August 25, 2016

Women's Equality Day, 2016

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Nearly one century ago, with boundless courage and relentless
commitment, dedicated women who had marched, advocated, and organized
for the right to cast a vote finally saw their efforts rewarded on
August 26, 1920, when the 19th Amendment was certified and the right to
vote was secured. In the decades that followed, that precious right has
bolstered generations of women and empowered them to stand up, speak
out, and steer the country they love in a more equal direction. Today,
as we celebrate the anniversary of this hard-won achievement and pay
tribute to the trailblazers and suffragists who moved us closer to a
more just and prosperous future, we resolve to protect this
constitutional right and pledge to continue fighting for equality for
women and girls.
At every level of society, women are leaders at the forefront of
progress. Serving as judges and Members of Congress, setting world
records in sports, founding groundbreaking companies, and fighting on
the front lines of combat, women continue to tear down barriers and
shatter glass ceilings--just as they have done since the founding of our
Nation. Yet such progress is not inevitable, and we must keep moving
forward on our journey toward equality. In one of my first acts as
President, I established the White House Council on Women and Girls to
provide a coordinated response to challenges confronted by women and
girls, ensuring their concerns and insights are taken into account in
our policies and programs. And this year, my Administration hosted the
first-ever United State of Women Summit to continue our efforts to
underscore the passion, success, and ongoing commitment of advocates
dedicated to advancing gender equality and realizing a brighter future
for women of all ages.

No woman should earn less than a man for doing the same job--equal pay
for equal work should be a fundamental principle of our economy and our
democracy. That is why the first bill I signed into law as President was
the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, and why I continue to call on the
Congress to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act. Women make up roughly half
of our workforce, and we need to invest more in affordable, high-quality
childcare. We must strengthen paid sick, maternity, and family leave--
too many families are forced to make difficult choices between caring
for a newborn and receiving a paycheck, or staying home to help a sick
child or parent and keeping their job. And we must continue striving for
fairness and opportunity when it comes to improving workplace policies,
because we know that when women succeed, our economy and our country
succeed.
Ensuring all young women can live full and healthy lives is vital to
their pursuit of personal and professional goals. Because of the
Affordable Care Act, individuals can no longer be charged higher
premiums simply for being a woman. But there is still more we can do to
reduce discrimination when it comes to women's health--such as
protecting a woman's right to choose and safeguarding access to sexual
and reproductive health services, including abortion. Every person
should be

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able to live and reach for their dreams free from fear of violence: In
America, nearly one in four women has suffered physical domestic
violence, a cruelty which deprives its victims of their autonomy,
liberty, and security, and inhibits them from reaching their full
potential. Approximately one in five women is sexually assaulted while
in college. Through the It's On Us campaign and the White House Task
Force to Protect Students From Sexual Assault, we have called on
individuals, communities, and institutions of higher education to
recognize what they can do to stop sexual assault and change our culture
for the better. We have striven to support survivors and focused on
making sure our schools are safe places where all students can learn,
grow, and thrive. Transgender women often face escalated levels of
discrimination and violence, and we have taken a number of steps to
secure their civil rights, including providing guidance to educators
that can help rid school environments of discrimination. The Department
of Justice has also urged law enforcement agencies to address any form
of gender bias that exists in responding to domestic violence and sexual
assault and ensure that such bias does not undermine efforts to keep
victims safe.
Underrepresented in management positions, underfunded as entrepreneurs,
under-encouraged in STEM fields, and confronted with higher levels of
unemployment, women and girls of color still face very real challenges,
significant opportunity gaps, and structural barriers. That is why we
have hosted forums to discuss ways to increase programming and promote
opportunities for women and girls of color so they can achieve success
at school, at work, and in their communities. To continue building these
ladders of opportunity for women--not just in communities across our
country, but also around the world--I have made advancing gender
equality a foreign policy priority. My Administration has sought to end
gender-based violence across the globe, promote the role of women in
ending conflict and building lasting peace and security, and empower the
next generation by investing in adolescent girls and breaking down
barriers to get 62 million girls into schools through the Let Girls
Learn initiative.
In the many decades since suffragists organized and mobilized, countless
advocates and leaders have picked up the mantle and moved our Nation and
our world forward. Today, young women in America grow up knowing an
historic truth--that not only can they cast a vote, but they can also
run for office and help shape the very democracy that once left them
out. For these women, and for generations of women to come, we must keep
building a more equal America--whether through the stories we tell about
our Nation's history or the faces we display on our country's currency.
On Women's Equality Day, as we recognize the accomplishments that so
many women fought so hard to achieve, we rededicate ourselves to
tackling the challenges that remain and expanding opportunity for women
and girls everywhere.
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 August 26, 2016, as
Women's Equality Day. I call upon the people of the United States to
celebrate the achievements of women and promote gender equality.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fifth day of
August, in the year of our Lord two thousand sixteen, and of

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the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
forty-first.
BARACK OBAMA