On International Women’s Day, we honor women worldwide for their vital role in shaping and strengthening our communities, families, governments, and businesses. We celebrate their vision, leadership, and courage, and we reaffirm our commitment to promoting equal opportunity for women everywhere.
Through the efforts of remarkable women trailblazers in the United States and around the world, we have made tremendous progress in the fight for equality and justice for all. My Administration has championed initiatives to promote women’s global economic empowerment through business, technology, and increased access to capital. These initiatives include the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative, Canada–United States Council for Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders, Overseas Private Investment Corporation’s 2X Women’s Initiative, and United States Agency for International Development’s WomenConnect Challenge.
This year, I signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum to launch the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) Initiative. The W-GDP Initiative is structured to help at least 50 million women in developing countries fully and freely participate in their local economies by 2025. This historic initiative is the Federal Government’s first integrated approach to global women’s economic empowerment and a tremendous step in supporting women. The W-GDP Initiative is coordinating its efforts with individuals in the private sector, civil society, diplomatic community, and Congress to promote workforce development and skills training, improve access to capital, and implement reforms that enable greater economic participation. Women’s participation in the workforce, free of discrimination and injustice, results in safer, stronger, and freer nations.
As my Administration continues to support women around the globe, it is also fighting for women in the United States. Through the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, my Administration is providing tax relief to parents by doubling the child tax credit and preserving the child and dependent care credit. Thanks to our economic policies, women’s unemployment in the United States has reached the lowest level in 65 years and more than 2 million more women are working today than in November 2016.
As we recognize International Women’s Day, we acknowledge that when women are economically empowered they are able to invest more in their families and communities, producing a multiplier effect that spurs economic growth and contributes to global stability. We remain vigilant in our pursuit of equality and opportunity so that all women may blaze new trails, pursue their dreams, and reach their full potential.
