Photo: UN Women/Ryan Brown

The 2016 theme for International Women’s Day is “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality.”.March 8 is the official date, and WILPF US branches will be celebrating the day throughout the month.

The United Nations observance will reflect on how to accelerate the 2030 Agendabuilding momentum for the effective implementation of the new Sustainable Development Goals. It will equally focus on new commitments under UN Women’s Step It Up initiative,  and other existing commitments on gender equality, women’s empowerment and women’s human rights.

See more at http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/international-womens-day
 

Flowers and suffrage book in Maine

By Christine DeTroy, Maine WILPF

Maine WILPF members will hand out flowers to women in the center of Brunswick on March 8, each stem with WILPF and International women’s Day information attached. On March 13, the author of Voting Down the Rose will recount the inspiring story of suffrage activism.

Maine author Anne B. Gass will speak at 4:30 pm in the Curtis Memorial Library and participate in a discussion of the role of women in today’s world. The complete title is Voting Down the Rose: Florence Brooks Whitehouse and Maine’s Fight for Woman Suffrage.

The event is sponsored by PeaceWorks and the League of Women Voters, along with the Maine WILPF Branch.  For details, contact Christine DeTroy  frieden@gwi.net

Los Angeles to hear publisher

Attorney Sharon Kyle, publisher of the LA Progressive. laprogressive.com will address the International Women’s Day luncheon of WILPF Los Angeles on March 12. She serves on the board of the Black Commentator and on the board of the ACLU of Southern California.

The luncheon at the Taix Restaurant will be provided at half price for guests 25 and under. See the bulletin for details. Reservations at 213-891-4517 or wilpfla@gmail.com.