[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 10 (Monday, March 17, 2008)]
[Pages 351-353]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at a Celebration of Women's History Month and International 
Women's Day

March 10, 2008

    Thank you all. Thank you all. Please be seated. Welcome to the White 
House for this celebration of Women's History Month and International 
Women's Day, and we're glad you're here.
    Every March, people around the world recognize accomplishments of 
strong, fearless women. I see a lot of many strong, fearless women in 
this room. [Laughter] And I feel right at home. After all, I was raised 
by one, and I married one. [Laughter]
    My advice to the next President is to surround him or her--
[laughter]--with strong, fearless women. That's what I've done. People 
have served--as Laura mentioned, people serving in senior positions in 
my administration have made great contributions to our country, people 
like Secretary Rice, Secretary Chao, Secretary Peters, Secretary 
Spellings, Trade Representative Schwab, White House spokesman Dana 
Perino.
    We've got a lot of strong women throughout our Government, and 
that's the way it should be. And it's made my job a lot easier, and I 
appreciate them serving our country with such class and dignity.
    I too welcome the Members of the United States Congress. Thank you 
all for coming. We're honored you're here. Thanks for serving.
    Members of the diplomatic corps--Laura and I had a opportunity to 
meet representatives from our U.S. Armed Services who are here, and 
we've got representatives of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, 
and Coast Guard. Thank you all for coming. Thanks for wearing the 
uniform. Appreciate it.
    Appreciate the members of the diplomatic corps joining us. And I too 
want to congratulate the recipients of the International Women of 
Courage Award. Thank you all for coming. Why don't we have our award 
winners stand up. [Applause] Yes, thank you all. Thank you all.
    During Women's History Month, we honor the courage, foresight, and 
resolve of women who have strengthened our democracy. Pioneers like 
Amelia Earhart, suffragists like Sojourner Truth, healers like Clara 
Barton, writers like Harriet Beecher Stowe: These women have helped our 
Nation live up to its ideals of liberty and justice for all. At the same 
time, they have changed the way America views its women, the way both 
men and women view America.
    We take pride in the progress women have made here at home, and we 
know that millions of women abroad are still working to secure their 
basic rights. And as they do, the United States of America proudly 
stands with them. We do so because we know that liberty

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is the birthright of every person. And we do so because it's in our 
national interest. Societies where half the population is marginalized, 
or worse, are less likely to be prosperous and hopeful and more likely 
to become incubators for hateful ideologies.
    So the United States is working to help build more hopeful and just 
societies for women. In Africa, our Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, 
called PEPFAR, and our malaria initiative are saving millions from the 
disease that devastate women. Our Millennium Challenge Corporation 
provides microloans that help women start their own businesses. Our 
international education initiatives have trained thousands of teachers 
and have provided hundreds of thousands of scholarships to help girls go 
to school.
    The United States works to help build more hopeful and just 
societies throughout the world and, in particular, the Middle East. In 
Afghanistan, the Taliban once beat women without reason and executed 
them without remorse. Today, because we acted, Afghanistan's women serve 
as teachers and doctors and journalists and judges. More than 80 members 
of Afghanistan's parliament are women. In Iraq, Saddam Hussein once used 
rape rooms to brutalize women and dishonor their families. Today, 
because we acted, Iraq's women voted in a free and democratic elections. 
They live under a Constitution that protects women's rights. Freedom is 
powerful, and freedom is precious, and freedom belongs to all, and 
freedom will yield the peace we long for.
    The United States is proud to be a part of the global advance of 
women's rights. Yet one thing history shows us is that the cause of 
women's rights is inseparable from the cause of human rights. So on this 
International Women's Day, we honor the women who work to secure both 
their liberty and the liberty for others.
    America honors women like Madawi Al Hassoun of Saudi Arabia. An 
educator turned entrepreneur, she was one of the first Saudi women to 
work alongside men in a mixed business environment. Ms. Hassoun was the 
first female director of the women's branch of one of Saudi's largest 
banks. She manages her own successful business now. Ms. Hassoun was also 
one of the first female candidates in Saudi Arabia to run for office. 
And today, she serves as an appointed member of the Jeddah Chamber of 
Commerce. As she has broadened the possibilities of Saudi women, Ms. Al 
Hassoun has also worked to bring greater economic freedom and prosperity 
to her own nation. She's on the forefront of change, and the United 
States strongly supports her.
    America honors Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia. Early in her life, 
this woman waited tables to put herself through school at Harvard. She 
became an economist who returned to Liberia to serve her country, only 
to see it destroyed by brutal warlords and dictators. In 2005, Liberians 
reclaimed their freedom and chose Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to become the 
first woman ever elected President on the continent of Africa. Laura and 
I just recently visited the President.
    I was impressed by how strong she is as a leader, and she's 
committed to fighting disease and working to make Liberia's Government 
more transparent and honest. You know, the Liberians call President 
Johnson the ``Iron Lady'' and ``Ma.'' [Laughter] I'm proud to call her 
friend. She's a great lover of liberty, and we will support her.
    America honors women like Irina Kozulina. Irina's husband, Aleksandr 
Kozulin, is serving a 5-year prison sentence for protesting Belarus 
fraudulent 2006 elections. Irina worked relentlessly for her husband's 
freedom. In doing so, she became a leading voice for all political 
prisoners held captive by the Lukashenko regime.
    Irina was also very prominent in the breast cancer awareness 
campaign in Belarus. A few weeks ago, the disease claimed her life. The 
Lukashenko regime refused to release her husband to be with his wife in 
his final days. That's the definition of brutality. And the United 
States calls upon that Government to release Aleksandr Kozulin 
immediately, just like they ought to release every other political 
prisoner in Belarus. It's important for people to understand that this 
good woman, Irina, set the stage for what we hope Belarus to become, a 
free and just and open society.
    America honors women like Marta Beatriz Roque Cabello of Cuba. An 
economist and former math professor, Marta Beatriz is now a leader of a 
movement for a free Cuba. She

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spent years in Castro's dungeons for her activism. Because she spoke out 
about the universality of freedom, she has spent time in jail. She was 
recently released from her prison term because of her poor health. Yet 
neither her health nor the threat of danger has deterred this good 
woman, this pioneer for liberty.
    Just last week, Marta was one of the 10 opposition leaders beaten by 
Cuban police and security forces for distributing copies of the 
universal declaration for human rights. This courageous woman knows that 
freedom is not going to come to Cuba by trading one oppressive Castro 
regime for another. Today I have a message for the people of Cuba: Viene 
el dia de su libertad. Your day of freedom is coming. And until that 
day, the United States will stand with all the dissidents working 
together to bring freedom to Cuba, including a brave woman named Marta 
Beatriz Roque Cabello.
    America honors women like Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma. For 12 of the 
last 18 years, this extraordinary woman has been kept under house arrest 
by Burma's brutal military regime. Her only crime was to lead a 
political party that enjoys the overwhelming support of the Burmese 
people. During the long and lonely years of Daw Suu Kyi's imprisonment, 
the people of Burma have suffered with her. Aung San Suu Kyi has never 
wavered. Her courage and her writings have inspired millions, and in so 
doing, have put fear into the hearts of the leaders of the Burmese 
junta.
    And that's why the regime has called a vote in May to ratify a 
dangerously flawed constitution, one that bars Suu from ever leaving her 
country. Aung San Suu Kyi has said to the American people: ``Please use 
your liberty to promote ours.'' We're doing all we can, and we will 
continue to do so until the tide of freedom reaches the Burmese shores 
and frees this good, strong woman.
    Americans are inspired by the examples of these women and the women 
we honor here today. We will continue to support their work and the work 
of women across the world who stand up for the freedom of their people.
    One of America's finest poets was a woman named Emma Lazarus, who is 
most famous for writing the verses carved into the base of the Statue of 
Liberty. Those verses describe the copper icon as ``a mighty woman with 
a torch'' to light the way for all ``yearning to breathe free.'' During 
Women's History Month and at this celebration of International Women's 
Day, we are proud that the most recognizable symbol of America's love 
for freedom is ``a mighty woman.'' And we reaffirm our commitment to 
light the way for all--both women and men--``yearning to be free.''
    And now, I'd like to ask Laura and Secretary Chao and Secretary 
Peters and the Members of Congress who are here to join me on stage as I 
proudly sign Women's History Month proclamation.

Note: The President spoke at 3:17 p.m. in the East Room at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to White House Press Secretary Dana 
Perino; President Aleksandr Lukashenko of Belarus; and former President 
Fidel Castro Ruz and President Raul Castro Ruz of Cuba. The transcript 
released by the Office of the Press Secretary also included the remarks 
of the First Lady.