International Women's Day: March 8
An article from The Asia Foundation reminded me that this Tuesday, March 8, is International Women's Day. (Actually, it's the 100th birthday of International Women's Day. Interestingly, the first International Women's Day was celebrated in Germany by the Socialist Party.) The article highlights the fact that 33% of Nepal's Constituent Assembly is composed of women, and there's now gender parity in Bangladesh's primary and secondary education system. But there's still a lot to be done. According to 2008 figures from the World Bank, the female literacy rate in India is 50.8%, compared to a male literacy rate of 75.2%. In Pakistan, the female literacy rate is 40%, compared to 66.8% for Pakistani men. Gender inequity certainly doesn't just stop at literacy either. This Tuesday is a time to celebrate some very real progress and also to acknowledge that there's still a very long way to go.
Asia Foundation Article
