Today is International Women's Day!

9 things you can do on International Women's Day  Today, March 8, is International Women's Day (#IWD2016), first celebrated in 1909. In recent years, the annual event has gained recognition, giving a chance to celebrate achievements in the women's movement and to inspire further progress through both local and international action. The 2016 theme for International Women’s Day is “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality." While too many women all over the word still suffer from violence and rights abuses, it is important to recognize the amazing work Indigenous women are doing in making change happen in all realms of life and in claiming their rights and transforming violence into power and action.    On International Women's Day stand in solidarity with women.  1. Read our issue of the Cultural Survival Quarterly devoted to Indigenous women.      2. Celebrate some of the amazing Indigenous women working to make change happen around the world, like Olga Montúfar Contreras.  Share their inspiring stories #IWD2016.      3. Read UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigeous Women's Report on Indigneous Women and Girls According to a report released in September 2015 from United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Indigenous women all over the world experience a “broad, multifaceted and complex spectrum of mutually reinforcing human rights abuses” due to their particular position of vulnerability amongst patriarchal power structures. Also, read the Special Rapporteur's presentation on on strengthening indigenous women's access to justice and protection against violence.        4. Listen and Share Radio Programs by and about Indigenous Women.  6 spots available on the World Conference of Indigenous Women (English) Ta'Kaiya Blaney speaks on the environment (English)     5. Learn about Indigenous Women's Rights.   Watch and share this video by Asia Indigenous Peoples' Pact.              6. Learn about how to use the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women         7. Learn about the epidemic of murdered and missing Indigenous women. Over 800 Aboriginal women have gone missing or been murdered in Canada in the past 20 years, and their cases are rarely investigated by police. Read Amnesty International's report Stolen Sisters, a report on violence against Indigenous women in Canada.    8. Watch this video on Maasai women's perspective on land rights.     9. Visit the UN Women's Day website.   Find out how to get into the conversation via Twitter and other forms of social media. #IWD  #IWD2016  #WomensDay  #internationalwomen'sday      Thanks to Cultural Survival for these materials.