WHEREAS, International Women's Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity;

WHEREAS, International Women’s Day, March 8, has been celebrated annually since 1911;

WHEREAS, many countries recognize March 8 as International Women’s Day, a day on which to honor the achievements of women and promote women’s rights;

WHEREAS, International Women’s Day has been sponsored by the United Nations since 1975;

WHEREAS, 27 countries have officially adopted International Women’s Day as a national holiday, and it is widely observed in several others;

WHEREAS, New York State is the home of Seneca Falls, and the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention was the first women’s rights convention in the United States;

WHEREAS, Seneca Falls is considered the birthplace of the women’s suffrage movement, which more than seven decades later ensured American women the right to vote;

WHEREAS, New York State is a leader in the pursuit of legislation to achieve wage equality between women and men;

WHEREAS, women comprise 51.5% of New York State’s population;

THEREFORE, we, the undersigned, put forth that New York State commemorate its historic and current leadership in the advancement of women’s rights by recognizing March 8, International Women’s Day, as an official New York State holiday.