Happy Women’s Day to all of the amazing and inspiring women in my life!

March 8 is International Women’s Day. In Pohnpei, the day was celebrated with a traditional dance and craft competition.

After the keynote speech from Supreme Court Judge Ms. Worswick, 24 groups of women from all over the island preformed cultural dance routines and displayed local crafts at an event held at the track in Kolonia. The event was open to the public, and each group had handmade matching outfits and banners to represent themselves.

The Pohnpei State Department of Health (DHS) woman wore orange scrubs and held posters written in the local language representing women in health. The 2016 International Women’s Day theme was Pledge for Parity, and the female nurses, doctors, and public health professionals from the DHS were promoting the theme by showcasing the important work that they do every day at the hospital alongside their male colleagues.

Today we celebrated the social, economic, cultural, and political achievement of women in Pohnpei. I hope that you were able to do the same wherever you are.