PROCLAMATION 7459—AUG. 30, 2001 115 STAT. 2813 Tremendous advancements have been made in the fight for equality. But we must rem,ain diligent in enforcing our Nation's laws. And we still have work to do in this area. Today, thousands of people, mainly women and children, are traf- ficked into the United States each year and forced to work in the sex industry, sweatshops, field labor, and domestic servitude. Beyond these vile acts, workplace discrimination and targeted violence continue to take place, despite their rejection by our communities and legal system. Our efforts to ensure women equal rights must include the protection of women from violence and equal access to justice. This is particularly vital for women who face geographic, cultural, and other barriers to social justice services. Women victimized by crime should receive equitable and compassionate care, including access to advocacy, emergency shelter, law enforcement protection, and legal aid. That is why my 2002 budget requests increased funding for Federal initiatives to combat violence against women and to continue the guarantees of basic civil rights and liberties for women. As we remember the well-known champions of women's equality, we also honor the millions of women whose private efforts and personal ideals continue to sustain and improve this land. On Women's Equality Day, I call upon all Americans to defend the freedoms gained by those who came before us and to continue to expand our shared vision of social justice and equality. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim August 26, 2001, as Women's Equality Day. I call upon the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate programs and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty- fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord two thousand one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-sixth. ^ ' GEORGE W. BUSH Proclamation 7459 of August 30, 2001 National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, 2001 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Ovarian cancer, the deadliest of the gynecologic cancers, is the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the United States. Experts predict that more than 23,000 cases will be diagnosed in 2001, with an estimated 13,900 women dying from the disease this year. Ovarian cancer is very treatable when detected early, but only 25 percent of ovarian cancer cases in the United States are diagnosed in the early stages. The vast majority of cases are not diagnosed until the cancer has spread beyond the ovaries, often because symptoms are easily
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