Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today is International Women's Day. This day was first recognized as a global event by the United Nations in 1975, but its origins go back to the early 1900s, as women fought for the right to vote.
It is a day for celebrating the socio-economic culture and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for gender equality. It is a day to acknowledge and support women's rights and to celebrate their many significant achievements.
Over the last 100 years, women in many countries have made advances towards gender equality by fighting for labour rights, protection from violence, access to sexual and reproductive health, equal pay for equal work, as well as reaching the highest positions of leadership.
However, there is still a long way to go. As of 2017, there were only 15 female world leaders. While the number of current female leaders has more than doubled since 2000, these women still represent fewer than 10 percent of the 193 UN member states. According to the World Economic Forum, 33,000 girls under the ages of 18 become child brides every day, and women in rural parts of Africa spend 40 billion hours a year collecting water.
At the current rate of progress, they estimate that it will take 108 years to close the gender gap. This is a notable statistic, given that the theme of this year's International Women's Day is "Balance for Better," which acknowledges that everyone benefits in a gender-balanced world. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted