On Wednesday August 17 VOA marks 85th. Anniversary of Women's Equality Day-Celebrating Women's Right to Vote , which falls on 26 August. Keynote speaker President of FEW-Federally Employed Women Patricia Wolfe delivered an inspirational speech:
"Votes for women were first seriously proposed in the United States in July 1848 at the Seneca Falls women's rights convention organized by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucrecia Mott. One woman who attended that convention was Charlotte Woodward. She was 19 at the time. And in 1920 when women finally won the vote throughout the Nation Chrarlotte was the only person who still alive to cast the vote. She was 81 years old."
Ms. Wolfe continues to define "we" as stated in the constitution: "It was we, the people, not the we the white male citizens nor we the male citizens. But we the whole people whom form the union and of course our union says we were all created equal."
She describes how FEW contributed in the last election as dutiful citizens: "I know last year was the big election year. FEW - one of our big projects was voter registration drive. We published and distributed voters registration guide in shopping malls and other public areas in this Capital city."
Burmese woman observer Nandar Chann said, "Even though Burmese women have voting rights along with man after Burma gained independence from British, Burmese women do not have rights to hold any high ranking decision making position in the government Cabinet such as ministers."
