Thursday, March 08, 2012

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

Today, we celebrate Women's Day. The following is from the United Nations:
"The United Nations General Assembly, composed of delegates from every Member State, celebrates International Women's Day to recognize that peace and social progress require the active participation and equality of women, and to acknowledge the contribution of women to international peace and security.
For the women of the world, the Day is an occasion to review how far they have come in their struggle for equality, peace and development.
You might think that women's equality benefits mostly women, but every one-percentile growth in female secondary schooling results in a 0.3 percent growth in the economy. Yet girls are often kept from receiving education in the poorest countries that would best benefit from the economic growth.
Until the men and women work together to secure the rights and full potential of women, lasting solutions to the world's most serious social, economic and political problems are unlikely to be found.
In recent decades, much progress has been made. On a worldwide level, women's access to education and proper health care has increased; their participation in the paid labor force has grown; and legislation that promises equal opportunities for women and respect for their human rights has been adopted in many countries. The world now has an ever- growing number of women participating in society as policy-makers.
However, nowhere in the world can women claim to have all the same rights and opportunities as men.
The majority of the world's 1.3 billion absolute poor are women.
On average, women receive between 30 and 40 per cent less pay than men earn for the same work.
And everywhere, women continue to be victims of violence, with rape and domestic violence listed as significant causes of disability and death among women of reproductive age worldwide." 
 Nonetheless, God created woman and gave her special roles to fulfill that a man cannot. God has a special plan for each woman. I am so thankful He has a plan for my life. I am so thankful I have the opportunity to work alongside some amazing women whom God has called. I have the opportunity to encourage young girls, and teach them about women from the Bible. Talk about amazing women! The Bible gives women role models -some positive and some negative, but regardless, we can learn from their lives. I have the opportunity to teach and encourage these young girls' mothers-to encourage and empower their daughters, to raise them to be of good moral character. 
Today is a day to reflect on women who have made and are making a difference, and to encourage young girls to dream, to become all that God has planned for them.
Celebrate the women in your life today. Tell them what a difference they have made. All over the world there are opportunities to make a difference in a girl's life -to help provide education she would not otherwise have. All it takes is a little research. If you need any ideas, just write me at beautifulfeet2008@gmail.com and I will tell you of some opportunities.
Happy Women's Day!