Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 44 / Tuesday, March 6, 2012 / Presidential Documents 13185 

Proclamation 8780 of March 1, 2012 

Women’s History Month, 2012 

By the President of the United States of America 

A Proclamation 

As Americans, ours is a legacy of bold independence and passionate belief 

in fairness and justice for all. For generations, this intrepid spirit has driven 

women pioneers to challenge injustices and shatter ceilings in pursuit of 

full and enduring equality. During Women’s History Month, we commemorate 

their struggles, celebrate centuries of progress, and reaffirm our steadfast 

commitment to the rights, security, and dignity of women in America and 

around the world. 

We see the arc of the American story in the dynamic women who shaped 

our present and the groundbreaking girls who will steer our future. Fortyone years ago, when former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt confronted President 

John F. Kennedy about the lack of women in government, he appointed 

her the head of a commission to address the status of women in America 

and the discrimination they routinely faced. Though the former First Lady 

passed away before the commission finished its work, its report would 

spur action across our country and galvanize a movement toward true gender 

parity. Our Nation stands stronger for that righteous struggle, and last March 

my Administration was proud to release the first comprehensive Federal 

report on the status of American women since President Kennedy’s commission in 1963. Today, women serve as leaders throughout industry, civil 

society, and government, and their outstanding achievements affirm to our 

daughters and sons that no dream is beyond their reach. 

While we have made great strides toward equality, we cannot rest until 

our mothers, sisters, and daughters assume their rightful place as full participants in a secure, prosperous, and just society. With the leadership of 

the White House Council on Women and Girls, my Administration is advancing gender equality by promoting workplace flexibility, striving to bring 

more women into math and science professions, and fighting for equal 

pay for equal work. We are combating violence against women by revising 

an antiquated definition of rape and harnessing the latest technology to 

prevent dating violence, domestic violence, and sexual assault. From securing 

women’s health and safety to leveling the playing field and ensuring women 

have full and fair access to opportunity in the 21st century, we are making 

deep and lasting investments in the future of all Americans. 

Because the peace and security of nations around the globe depend upon 

the education and advancement of women and girls, my Administration 

has placed their perspectives and needs at the heart of our foreign policy. 

Last December, I released the first United States National Action Plan on 

Women, Peace, and Security to help ensure women play an equal role 

in peace-building worldwide. By fully integrating women’s voices into peace 

processes and our work to prevent conflict, protect civilians, and deliver 

humanitarian assistance, the United States is bringing effective support to 

women in areas of conflict and improving the chances for lasting peace. 

In the months ahead, my Administration will continue to collaborate with 

domestic and international partners on new initiatives to bring economic 

and political opportunity to women at home and abroad. 


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13186 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 44 / Tuesday, March 6, 2012 / Presidential Documents 

During Women’s History Month, we recall that the pioneering legacy of 

our grandmothers and great-grandmothers is revealed not only in our museums and history books, but also in the fierce determination and limitless 

potential of our daughters and granddaughters. As we make headway on 

the crucial issues of our time, let the courageous vision championed by 

women of past generations inspire us to defend the dreams and opportunities 

of those to come. 

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 March 2012 as 

Women’s History Month. I call upon all Americans to observe this month 

and to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, 2012, with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that honor the history, accomplishments, and contributions of American women. I also invite all Americans to visit www.WomensHistoryMonth.gov to learn more about the generations of women who have shaped our history. 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of 

March, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence 

of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth. 

[FR Doc. 2012–5566 

Filed 3–5–12; 8:45 am] 

Billing code 3295–F2–P 


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