Activists against gender violence hold hands at a memorial to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Nov. 19. The Vatican announced Dec. 12 that the pope will visit Mexico from Feb. 12-17. His trip will include a stop in Ciudad Juarez, the city across from El Paso, Texas, that is known for drug-related violence. (CNS photo / Jose Luis Gonzalez, Reuters)
by GSR Staff
"This year’s celebration of International Women’s Day is the first within the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls are confidently asserted in that Agenda as intrinsic to progress. . . Women and girls are critical to finding sustainable solutions to the challenges of poverty, inequality and the recovery of the communities hardest hit by conflicts, disasters and displacements."
- U.N. Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, from her message on International Women's Day, March 8