Every year on August 26 in the US, Women’s Equality Day is observed to honour American women who have won the right to vote under the country’s constitution. The ‘Nineteenth Amendment,’ which granted women equal voting rights in the US constitution in 1920, is celebrated on this day. Women’s Equality Day this year will focus on “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.”
The day was chosen to honour the moment when Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby signed the declaration granting American women the right to vote under the nation’s constitution in 1920. Congresswoman Bella Abzug of New York first proposed a resolution to declare August 26 as Women’s Equality Day in 1971, following the countrywide Women’s Strike for Equality of 1970, and she did it again in 1973, during the ongoing debates for the Equal Rights Amendment.
“On Women’s Equality Day, we recognise the campaign for universal suffrage that led to the 19th Amendment, celebrate the advancement of women over time, and renew our commitment to achieving gender equity and defending women’s rights,” the White House declared in a proclamation on August 25 this year.
In addition, it stated that “in light of the Supreme Court decision to reverse Roe v. Wade and repeal a woman’s fundamental right to choose, dedication is more crucial than ever.” Additionally, US President Joe Biden urged “the citizens of the United States to celebrate and keep advancing our nation’s progress towards gender equality, as well as to safeguard and strengthen the right to vote.”
