Tuesday (March 8th) is International Women’s Day and many high-powered female celebrities are calling for equal rights worldwide. Oprah Winfrey, Mary J. Blige, Shonda Rhimes, Meryl Streep, Charlize Theron and more have signed an open letter calling on world leaders to fight for gender equality. The letter was released on Sunday and is organized by the ONE campaign, co-founded by internationally known artist, Bono. In the statement, statistics showed that 500 million women can’t read, 62 million girls are denied a proper education, and 155 countries have laws that discriminate against women. “Nowhere on earth do women have as many opportunities as men. Nowhere,” the letter states. “The fight for gender equality is global.” “We still living in a time period where the most impoverished and disadvantaged people in the world are, without question, women and girls,” said Gurira, the playwright of the Broadway show “Eclipsed,” in an interview. “The light and the potential of women and girls in the world today is being blocked.” Other celebrities that are participating (or have participated) in the movement are Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Ashley Judd, Colin Farrell, Elton John, Muhammed Ali just to name a few. To learn more, visit www.one.org/us . Source: AP
