March 5, 2010

Message from Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, on the occasion of International Women’s Day

OTTAWA—Whenever I have travelled in Canada and abroad, I have had the good fortune of meeting with remarkable girls and women, from all walks of life. Their commitment and determination only strengthen my conviction that women play a key role in bringing about living conditions that are fairer, more equitable, safer, and assuring a better world.

Give them the means to act, and women drive back violence, hunger, illness, illiteracy and distress. They join forces in the face of adversity or injustice to overturn barriers with all their strength, and together, they work for the common good.

In my life, I have often witnessed the suffering of women who were exploited, impoverished, harassed or attacked, but I have also seen them recover and fight back in remarkable ways. In Haiti, for example, where the earthquake on January 12 gave rise to a humanitarian crisis and unprecedented devastation on the island, there is no doubt that women’s vision, initiatives and perspectives will be essential to the country’s reconstruction.

On this International Women’s Day, let us celebrate the battles and the triumphs of all those women throughout history, here at home and in every corner of the globe, who have fought unwaveringly to defeat inequality, enforce respect for human rights, and build peace. There are still many pitfalls ahead, and we must be ever vigilant, but more and more women everywhere are demonstrating an unshakeable will and doing everything in their power to bring about a more promising future for all.

Michaëlle Jean

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This year, the Governor General will celebrate International Women’s Day
in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on March 8, 2010.

Media Information:
Marie-Ève Létourneau
Rideau Hall Press Office
613-998-0287
meletourneau@gg.ca  
www.gg.ca