This Sunday, we honor the women in our lives that gave us life and shaped us into the people we are today.  Daughters, mothers, and grandmothers, will receive flowers, candy, or breakfast in bed prepared by the kids.

But did you know that Mother’s Day was originally founded as a Women’s Day for peace and disarmament? In 1870, Julia Ward Howe, the author of the “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” advocated for the creation of Mother’s Day, dedicated to promoting “the amicable settlement of international questions, and the great and general interests of peace.”

We can cherish the women who nurtured, protected, and cared for us by sending a Mother’s Day card that honors the original spirit of the holiday. Click here to choose a free e-card that celebrates the special women in your life and commemorates women working for peace around the globe.

South Sudan and Sudan continue to fight for territory. The regime's target is now the people in the Nuba Mountains in South Kordofan. More than a 100,000 residents have fled to the south after violence erupted in the contested region of Abyei. The Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir has denied international relief for the people, and government military forces continue to move south, encouraged by the lack of response from around the world.

Citizens for Global Solutions CEO Don Kraus was quoted today in a story by Inter-Press Service on the U.S. being one of 7 countries that have still not ratified the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women treaty.  Kraus noted CEDAW provides

"a blueprint for increasing gender equality and reinforces our role as a global leader in standing up for the rights of women and girls. In countries that have ratified CEDAW, women have partnered with their governments to engage in a national dialogue about the status of women and girls, and as a result have shaped policies to create greater safety and opportunities for women and their families."

Click here to read the full story.

There was standing room only as Senators, congressional staff, non-profit organizations, and concerned citizens came to show their support for women’s rights and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) at a hearing held on women and the Arab Spring.  The hearing, presided over by Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Bob Casey (D-PA), focused on how women have played major roles in the Arab Spring, specifically in Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya.  In these countries experiencing major transitions in government, the future of increasing gender equality is still uncertain, and requires help from the U.S. to continue to spread democracy and promote social change.  Senator Boxer put it best when she said,

“Nations cannot achieve democracy and standing peace unless women achieve equal standing.”