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PRESIDENT CLINTON PROCLAIMS OCTOBER 15 ‘INTERNATIONAL RURAL WOMEN’S DAY’
WASHINGTON, October 15, 1999 -- “Recognizing the increasingly important role women are playing in agriculture and rural issues, President Clinton has proclaimed October 15 as International Rural Women’s Day, a day for “Giving Rural Women Credit.”
“Rural women throughout the world have shared their energies and resources toward making a lasting and positive impact on many issues important to the rural way of life,” said Jill Long Thompson, under secretary of agriculture for Rural Development. “We are grateful that President Clinton has proclaimed today International Rural Women’s Day, a day when we stop to recognize the many contributions made by women.”
The proclamation follows the unveiling of several initiatives, which have given women throughout the world an opportunity to share ideas and concerns affecting rural dwellers, particularly those in the area of agriculture. Long Thompson noted that last year the President’s Interagency Council on Women hosted the Second Annual International Conference on Women in Agriculture in Washington, D.C., where over 1,000 women from 50 countries came together to discuss agricultural related issues. Long Thompson said forums, such as the International Conference on Women in Agriculture, are creating important venues for elevating the voice of women around the world.
Women agricultural organizations, like Women Involved in Farm Economics, have been instrumental in creating a mechanism for rural women to organize and advocate issues affecting rural farmers and view the proclamation as an opportunity to highlight the significant role women are playing in today’s farm economy. Such organizations view the role of farm and ranch women today as communicating their concerns to the Administration and to Congress regarding agricultural policies that will determine profit and loss on their farms and ranches.
This year’s proclamation also mentions the important role the upcoming United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women will have on furthering the momentum built, on issues affecting women.
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