ATLANTA (March 8, 2001) -- Today, International Women's Day, CARE President Peter D. Bell acknowledged the vital contributions women make to the fabric of families, communities and whole societies and called for a renewed commitment to programs dedicated to empowering women worldwide. CARE also has launched a special section on its website entitled "CARE for Women" that is dedicated to the struggles and achievements of women in the developing world and highlights the organization's work in this area as well as opportunities for the public to support CARE's work with women.

"Investing in women is a key to economic development. It is a building block in the creation of safer, healthier, wealthier families, and communities and countries," said Bell. "We must all do our part to fight gender discrimination and empower women through our programs worldwide and within our organization," Bell concluded.

One of the world's largest international relief and development organizations, CARE has poverty eradication programs that seek to eliminate the obstacles that women face to improving their lives and the lives of their families. These programs in reproductive health, education, and agricultural and economic development seek to improve the lives of all people through special attention to women.

In 2000, CARE's work with women included:

• In 23 countries, 9.2 million women and children benefited from CARE maternal health programs, reducing the toll and threat of illness and death.
• 5.1 million women and their partners in 26 countries received medical services in family planning, prevention and treatment of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.
• More than 500,000 people -- 80 percent women -- in 31 countries were assisted with microcredit and savings programs to help them achieve economic self-sufficiency.
• Education programs increased literacy rates and school attendance among women and girls in more than 18 countries.

These programs are based on CARE's understanding of the many challenges women face around the globe. These challenges include restricted access to education, health care, and economic and personal freedoms. Women around the world earn 10 percent of global income and account for 70 percent of the 1.2 billion people living in poverty.

The CARE for Women site features news, stories, facts and information on an array of CARE's women-specific projects, as well as accounts of CARE's impact on the lives of women worldwide.

CARE programs around the world benefited more than 27 million people last year.

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