Under the theme “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality” the world over is today (March 8, 2016) celebrating IWD. Kaieteur News today salutes our women from every stratum of society.Below are some messages from individuals and organisations in observance of IWD.Prime Minister Moses V. NagamootooWomen are the undisputed bedrock and nurturers of our society. The resilience and fortitude of women are the foundation for the forward thrust of our country. It is women who are the quiet engineers of change and social advancement.The United Nations,Wholesale NFL Jerseys China, today, calls on all to reflect on how to accelerate the 2030 Agenda of building momentum for the effective implementation of the new Sustainable Development Goals.This will equally focus on new commitments under United Nations Women’s Step It Up initiative, and other existing commitments on gender equality, women’s empowerment and women’s rights.They, more than any other, mould and shape our youth and care for our elderly. Without women society would undoubtedly collapse.This Coalition Government is proud of the immense strides our women have made in the 50 years since our independence and that they continue to be exemplary citizens, professionals and parents.The APNU+AFC Government commits to ensuring that women are truly and sincerely protected, respected,Cheap Adidas NHL Jerseys, included and provided with equal opportunity throughout the social landscape,Cheap NFL Jerseys, starting with the manner in which the business of the national affairs are managed. It is a source of pride that 10 ministers of this Coalition Government are women, more than is the case for any other member of CARICOM and even as we work towards ensuring that this number is increased in years to come to achieve the UN goal of 50-50, hopefully well in advance of 2030.**Social Protection Minister,Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping, Ms. Volda LawrenceToday is a global day in acknowledgement and celebration of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Today, 8th March, 2016 is a special day because it marks a call to action for all Governments to accelerate gender parity and expand opportunities for the Empowerment of Women.The United Nations declared 1975 as International Women’s Year; it was a year in which women were acclaimed worldwide in recognition of their sterling contributions and accomplishments over the years.IWD is the story of ordinary women as history makers. It is rooted in the centuries-old struggle by women, whether in the cane-fields and/or cotton fields of slavery; or under the less brutal conditions of indentureship in the Caribbean. IWD therefore is a time to reflect on the progress we have made. It is a time to call for greater changes and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played extraordinary roles in the history of women’s rights. In Guyana, stalwarts such as Jane Phillips-Gay, Winifred Gaskin, Hycintha Godette, Agnes Ben-Kirton-Holder, Janet Jagan, Viola Burnham, Shirley Field-Ridley,? must be acknowledged for their invaluable contribution to the positioning of women on the socio-political platform. (Yvonne Harewood Benn, Magda Pollard, Urmia Johnson, Cheryl Sampson, Sybil Patterson, Yvonne Stevenson).It is a time to ponder on what it means to be a woman and to recognise that a woman is not an auxiliary or a subordinate assistant to her male counterpart.? It is also a time to contemplate how effective and important a role a woman plays, whether at the micro-level of the home or the macro-level of the wider society.**U.S. Embassy Charg? d’Affaires Bryan HuntAs we near local government elections on March 18th?and Guyana’s 50th?anniversary of independence on May 26th, this year’s IWD takes on added significance.?? The contributions of women to Guyana’s rich history are too many to list. The influence of leaders like former President Janet Jagan, former Public Service Minister Dr. Faith Harding, and former Member of the National Assembly Sheila Holder is enduring and today Guyana is fortunate to have women lead in the Cabinet, in the private sector, and in civic society.In the United States it wasn’t until 1920 that women were afforded the right to vote,Wholesale Football Jerseys, and it was much longer for many African-Americans who suffered under Jim Crow laws, segregation, and racial injustice.? Through the determined efforts of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Rosa Parks, and so many others who saw participating in the democratic process as a right, not a privilege, women now comprise a powerful voting bloc.? Today women hold twenty seats in the United States Senate, more than eighty se