Women's Equality Day . . .August 26

Women’s Equality Day

“And what shall we say of the obstacles which in so many parts of the world still keep women from being fully integrated into social, political and economic life? ...As far as personal rights are concerned, there is an urgent need to achieve real equality in every area: equal pay for equal work; protection for working mothers, fairness in career advancements, equality of spouses with regard to family rights, and the recognition of everything that is part of the rights and duties of citizens in a democratic state.” ~John Paul II, “Letter to Women, 1995"

On 26 August 1920, the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was certified granting women the right to vote. National Women’s Equality Day commemorates that day, both celebrating the achievements of women, and standing as a symbol of the ongoing struggle for equal rights.
 Women continue to earn less than men across all professions. This wage gap negatively affects the economic security of women and their families. In Economic Justice for All, the U.S. bishops note that wage discrimination is a major factor underlying high poverty rates for women and their families. They conclude that this discrimination is immoral.
Originally posted in Capuchin Newsletter . . .