
Each year in March, NRCS Caribbean Area observes National Women's History Month to commemorate and encourage the study, observance, and celebration of the vital role of women in American and Caribbean history.

At NRCS, we are very proud of the women who make up our workforce. We recognize our co-workers (right) who always demonstrate the strength, capacity and intelligence needed to achieve the goals they set.
The roots of National Women’s History Month go back to March 8, 1857, when women from various New York City factories staged a protest over working conditions. International Women’s Day was first observed in 1909, but it was not until 1981 that Congress established National Women’s History Week to be commemorated annually the second week of March. In 1987, Congress expanded the week to a month. Every year since, Congress has passed a resolution for Women’s History Month, and the President has issued a proclamation.
The 2022 Women’s History theme, “Providing Healing, Promoting Hope,” is both a tribute to the ceaseless work of caregivers and frontline workers during this ongoing pandemic and also a recognition of the thousands of ways that women of all cultures have provided both healing and hope throughout history.

Why is National Women's History Month Important?
- We haven't given women their due attention
For many years, women weren’t acknowledged enough in historical texts. This isn’t because they weren’t in the midst of important discoveries or helping out with important conquests. It’s mainly because men wrote the majority of historical documents for thousands of years. In March, we dig deep to uncover many of the important roles women have played throughout history. - Women are inspirational
Learning about women who have stood up for their rights and fought for what they believe is fantastic motivation. We all have the power to influence the direction our world is headed in, and National Women’s History Month reminds us of that. - It recognizes the strength and power of women
It’s easy to get caught up in the grind of daily life, but this month is an excellent opportunity to put a spotlight on all of the major things women accomplish each and every day. From domestic chores and carrying babies to fighting wars and governing countries, women are pretty darn amazing.
Women's History Month Is Not Just for White Women
All too often there tends to be an unconscious focus on white women throughout history. Wonderfully, President Biden didn’t neglect that in his Proclamation this year. We urge you to explore women throughout other races/ethnicities/cultures that have influenced women’s rights throughout history and still are. For example, the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian has a film screening and discussion available this month of Without a Whisper: Konnon:Kwe, a film about the untold history of Native women’s influence on the early women’s rights movement in the United States. Watch the trailer.
Census Quick Facts
As of July 2019, the female population of the United States was 164.8 million. Additionally:
- 2:1: the approximate ratio by which women aged 85 and older outnumber men (in 2019).
- 79.2 million women aged 16 and older are in the civilian labor force in 2018 (58.6% of women aged 16 and older).
- 1.64 million women are Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces (in 2019).
Please support the many activities taking place around the Nation in commemoration of National Women's History Month and the many contributions women have made to the U.S. and global conservation.

More Information
- Presidential Proclamation for 2022 National Women's History Month
- National Women's History Month
- National Women's History Museum
- USDA Women in Agriculture
- USDA Blog - Women's History Month stories
- National Women's History Alliance
- International Women's Day 2022
- US Census Bureau Facts for Features: Women's History Month 2022
- National Organization of Professional Women in NRCS (WiN)
- National Museum of Women in the Arts celebrates Women's History Month
- AIAN Women in History
- Women's History Month: An Indigenous Perspective
- United Nations Observance of International Women's Day 2022
- A Woman's Place is in the Curriculum: Teaching Women's History Through American Art & Portraiture - Smithsonian Institution
- 12 Female Ecologists You Should Know - TreeHugger
- The Future of Conservation is Female - Rainforest Alliance
- Celebrating Women in Conservation - Nature & Culture International
- Celebrate Women in Conservation this Women's History Month - National Wildlife Federation (NWF)
- ‘Brilliant and politically savvy:’ The roles of African American women in the fight to vote 100 years ago - USA Today
- WomenForConservation.org
Contacts
- Caribbean Area Federal Women's Program Manager, Linnette Rosado, 787-817-2473 x.115
- Caribbean Area Civil Rights Advisory Committee Chair, Michelle Catoni, 787-896-3565 x.105
- National Federal Women's SEPM, Iris Snowden, 202-720-9837