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1505207
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International Women's Year
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1505207
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International Women's Year
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Theodore C. Marrs Files (Ford Administration)
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International Women's Year, 1975
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1975-06-30
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1975
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1974-12-01
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12
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1974
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The original documents are located in Box 12, folder "International Women's Year" of the
Theodore C. Marrs Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box 12 of the Theodore C. Marrs Files
at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
TO:
Dr. Theodore Marrs
FROM: Pat Lindh
X
For your information
For appropriate handling
Per your request
Remarks:
Fill
December 6, 1974
MEMORANDUM FOR: MRS. FORD
FROM:
ANNE ARMSTRONG
SUBJECT:
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S YEAR
FORD & OERALD LIBRARY
UN Activities
In adopting the International Strategy for the Second United
Nations Development Decade in 1970, the General Assembly
listed as one of its objectives the encouragement of the full
integration of women in the total development effort. To
extend and accelerate action for the advancement of women,
the U.N. General Assembly on December 18, 1972 proclaimed
1975 as International Women's Year to be devoted to intensi-
fied action to promote equality between men and women; to
ensure the full integration of women in the total develop-
ment effort; and to recognize the importance of women's in-
creasing contribution to the development of friendly relations
and cooperation among the States and the strengthening of
peace.
Under the leadership of Patricia Hutar, our delegate to the
U.N. Commission on the Status of Women, a resolution calling
for an international conference for International Women's
Year was proposed and accepted by the Commission and the U.N.
Economic and Social Council. Originally the conference was
to be held in Bogota, Columbia. Due to financial difficulties,
the conference will now be held in June in Mexico City.
US Initiatives
The United States was the first member nation of the U.N. to
recognize 1975 as International Women's Year, as a Presidential
Proclamation was issued on January 30, 1974 during the meeting
of the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women.
President Ford in his August 22nd Women's Equality Day Proc-
lamation mentioned 1975 and the International Women's Year,
calling upon Americans to deal with those inequities that
still linger as barriers to the full participation of women
in our nation's life. In his meetings with women appointees
and the September 6th meeting with leaders of national
women's organizations, he reiterated his commitment to INY.
The US Center for INY was established in September, 1973,
by a grant from the Department of State to a private founda-
tion, Meridian House International. The Center Serves as
a clearinghouse of information on IWY. It also coordinates
the voluntary efforts in the U.S. for the observance of the
Year.
Plans for the establishment of a National Commission for IWY
have been underway for over 19 months. Such a commission
would be composed of citizens from the private sector who
would promote hhe observance of IWY in the United States -
in the government sector, as well as, the private sector.
The latter function to be coordinated with the Center. The
Commission will also prepare a plan of action to be presented
to the President for implementation in 1976 - the Bicentennial
and the decade ahead.
1975 Activities
January 10th: The D.C. Commission on the Status of Women is
planning a seminar at the Department of Labor.
January 11th has been selected as the launching day for their
IWY activities of the U.S. Center. In cooperation with the
Ninety-Nine's (an association of women pilots) and Zonta
International (one of the women's service clubs), a banquet
is being planned at the Washington Hilton to salute women in
aviation and to honor Amelia Earhart.
In April, 1975 the Women's International League for Peace and
Freedom is planning a UN Disarmament Seminar at the UN.
Letters have been sent from the Center suggesting to college
and university presidents that they select women for honorary
degrees during 1975.
Many national women's organizations will highlight IWY at their
national and state conventions. They are encouraging their
local groups to plan activities in their own communities
which will emphasize the goals and objectives of INY.
Suggestions for your participation
1. Serve as Honorary Chairman of the National Commission;
or both you and the President serve as Honorary CoEChairman
to envision the idea of partnership.
FORD
LIBRARY
3
2. Participate in the National Commission's first meet-
ing to be held in January, which could initiate the
national observance of INY. A full day's seminar
could be planned inviting the Commission members and
the presidents of the major non's and women's nation-
al service and vocation organizations. The morning
session, which you could open, might include specific
discussions of the three themes of INY - equality,
development and peace. Then after lunch the group
could divide into these three areas with Commission
members leading the discussion. This session would
give all participants a chance to discuss definite
U.S. goals to be accomplished in 1975-76 and the decade
shead. Social events to conclude the day's activities
could include a reception at the State Department or
an embassy, followed by a White House Dinner for the
Commission and non-governmental leaders - men and women.
Such a dinner would be a first for these groups.
3. If the Equality Task Force of the Commission agrees,
a meeting could be scheduled under their leadership
at Seneca Falls, N.Y., the place of the first women's
rights convention in 1848. Suggested date for this
meeting, which could serve as launching point for the
ERA, is February 15, Susan B. Anthony"s birthday. You
could be the keynote speaker and the spark to ignite
this ratification effort.
4. When the ERA is ratified in 1975 (hopefully) there
will be a massive celebration. One idea for the
First Family's participation is for the President to
certify the ERA as the 27th Amendment to the U.S.
Constitution at a signing ceremony at the Sewell-
Belmont House, recently established as a national
historic site, and the home of the National Noman's
Party, the prime sponsor of the ERA since 1919.
5. After the Mexico City conference and as a beginning
for our Bicentennial, a briefing session could be
scheduled to debrief the national men's and women's
organizations interested in IWY on the world plan
of action at this international conference.
6. You could invite the women delegates to the UN to
Washington, or you could travel to New York and
hostess an event for them. Perhaps a seminar could
also he held for non-gomvsmmental organizations with
UN observer status. The UN General Assembly meets
from September to December.
KK:nam
FORD LIBRARY
File Copy
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
Date 7/8
TO: Pat Lindh
FROM: DR. THEODORE C. MARRS
For your signature
For your coordination
1
For your information
Per our conversation
Other: PAT-phear take
Care ofthin one Ded from can
of and, please advice
InTernaTional
THE ALABAMA FEDERATION OF
Women's year
BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN'S CLUBS, Inc.
P.O. Box 1965
Montgomery, AL 36103
June 27, 1975
The President
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500
GERALD R
Dear Mr. President:
As President of the Alabama Federation of Business
and Professional Women's Clubs, it is my pleasure
to invite you to speak to our members during the
statewide observance of International Women's Year
on Saturday, November 22, at a luncheon in Montgomery.
Because of the interest and support demonstrated by
both you and Mrs. Ford in behalf of women, we would
be honored to have you speak to us on this occasion.
Should your commitments preclude your acceptance on
November 22, we offer two alternate dates of November
1 and December 13. In the event you are unable to
attend on either of these dates, we cordially invite
Mrs. Ford to be our speaker.
We appreciate your efforts to expand the role of
women and I hope that you can find time in your busy
schedule to visit us during this observance.
Respectfully yours,
Margaret L. Ball
(Mrs.) Margaret L. Ball
Alabama Federation President
THE ALABAMA FEDERATION OF
BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN'S CLUBS, inc.
P. O. BOX 1965
PHONE 264-9315
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA, 36103
June 19, 1975
Dr. Theodore C. Marrs
Special Assistant to President for Human Resources
GERAL
The White House
Washington, D. C. 20500
Dear Dr. Marrs:
A few days ago Mrs. Vi Pitts telephoned you in regards to the
possibility of having the President speak to the Alabama Fed-
eration of Business & Professional Women's Clubs. The occasion
will be a special program in which to climax our observance of
'International Women's Year'.
You suggested to Mrs. Pitts that we write a letter of invitation
to the President and direct it to your attention. However, it is
at the suggestion of Dr. Morris Capouya that I personally write
you and enclose the letter of invitation. Any assistance and
support, Dr. Marrs, that you can give our invitation for special
consideration would be greatly appreciated. It would be beyond
words to describe the distinquished honor the Alabama BPW mem-
bers would experience should the President accept our invitation.
Our program is tentatively planned for November 22, however, we
have given the President two alternate dates for consideration.
In the event that the President or Mrs. Ford cannot accept, we
would be delighted to have Mrs. Patricia S. Lindh, whom you have
recommended. Should Mrs. Lindh need a special letter of invita-
tion from the Federation, please let me know.
From Dr. Capouya, warmest regards are sent to you and your family,
and from me (I'm the Shirley in his office), please accept my sin-
cere thanks for your attention given to our letter of invitation
to the President.
Shilley Rally Very sincerely yours,
(Miss) Shirley Kelly, Chairman
International Women's Year
Alabama Federation BPW Clubs
234 South Hull Street
Montgomery, Alabama 36104