Ratified in August of 1920, the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution granted American women the right to vote—a campaign known as woman suffrage. At the time the U.S. was founded, women did not share all of the same rights as men, including the right to vote. In the early part of America’s history, women were denied some of the key rights enjoyed by male citizens. For example, married women couldn’t own property and had no legal claim to any money they might earn, and no female had the right to vote. Women were expected to focus on housework and motherhood, not politics.
Today, both Afghan and Rwandan women are represented in their governments. In fact, Rwanda is the only country in the world where more women than men serve as elected officials. Considering how far the country has come in just two decades since the genocide—that’s an astonishing accomplishment!
Two Afghan women proudly display the “mark” of voting in Kabul.
Although women around the world have made great strides in gender equality, we still have work to do. Recently surveyed after our 9th year of PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS®, our 2015 graduates all agree two of the biggest barriers to continued growth in their countries is a lack of security and access to capital for women.
That’s why we, at the Institute of Economic Empowerment for Women, want to carry on with the mission to empower women economically, socially, and politically. As PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® enters into its 10th year, over 500 women have been educated and of the 80% of business owners still doing business, they employ an average of 12,000 of their fellow countrymen and women today. If you are interested in volunteering or mentoring with IEEW, please click here or contact our office at 405-943-4474 for more information.
