U.S. Hillary Clinton congratulates on International Women's Day

MOSCOW. March 8. KAZINFORM U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has congratulated the international society with the International Women's Day stressing the important role of women in the present-day world. Kazinform refers to RIA Novosti.

"March 8th is the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day... The United States continues to make women a cornerstone of our foreign policy. It's not just the right thing to do. It's the smart thing. Women and girls drive our economies. They build peace and prosperity. Investing in them means investing in global economic progress, political stability, and greater prosperity for everyone - the world over," she said.

International Women's Day, based on National Women's Day in the U.S., was first proposed in 1910 by Clara Zetkin, an influential socialist German politician and a fighter for women's rights. Zetkin intended it as a call to women around the world to battle for equal rights.

"So let us mark this day by finding ways to ensure women and girls' access to education, healthcare, jobs, and credit, and to protect their right to live free from violence," Clinton added. Kazinform cites RIA Novosti. See www.en.rian.ru