Womenmakeup50percentofworld'spopulationandyettheyarenottreatedequally．Theyholdlessthanone-fifthoftheallparliamentary （议会） seatsaroundtheworld，occupylessthan19percentofboard （董事会） seatsinFortune500companiesandearn17percentlessthanmenforsimilarskillsandpositions．Asagroup，theyarepassedoverandlookeddownon．
OnMarch8everyyear，millionsofwomenaroundtheworldcelebrateInternationalWomen'sDay．ItispossiblethatyoumaynothaveheardabouttheInternationalWomen'sDayintheUnitedStates．YetWomen'sDayhaditsoriginintheUnitedStates．
Women'sDaywasfirstcelebratedinFebruary1909intheUStomarktheone-yearanniversaryoftheNewYorkGarmentWorker'sStrikeof1908．Womenusedthechancetofightagainstwarringandfightforwomen'svoterights．
DidyouknowthatitwasaWomen'sDayprotestinSt．Petersburgin1917，whichledtotherevolution （革命） forbringingdowntheRussianempire？AftertheRussianrevolution，Women'sDaycametobecelebratedasacommunist （共产主义的） orsocialist （社会主义的） holiday．Asaresult，theUnitedStatesgovernmentdidn'tacceptitasaholiday．
TodayWomen'sDayiscelebratedinplacessuchasChinaandRussiaasasortofstate-approvedValentine'sDayorMother'sDay．Thetraditioninthesecountriesistogiveflowersandgiftstotheimportantwomeninone'slife．
In1975，theUnitedNationsofficiallyannouncedMarch8asInternationalWomen'sDay．Sincethen，ithasbeenapracticetosuggestanannualthemeforeachyear．Thethemefor2016is"PledgeForParity．"Itcallsonwomenandmentochallengethepresentstateandinspirepositivechangeintheircommunitiesandworkplaces．
Thereisalotthatneedstobedone．Asasociety，weneedtoofferwomenandgirlschancestomaketheirdreamscometrue，haveequalchancesforleadership，respectandvaluedifferences，anddevelopabetterworkenvironment．Thisdaychallengesandremindsthateveryonecanbealeaderintheirownsmallwayandcantakepositivestepstobringaboutgenderequality．
Ourworldcantrulybebalancedwhenweusethepotentialthatwomenhavetooffer．Aswepreparechildrenforthefuture，itisimportantthatgirlsandwomennotbeleftbehind．
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