CARE Advocates Speak Out on Behalf of Vulnerable Women and Girls Everywhere to Mark the 100th Anniversary of International Women's Day

WHAT:

Over 1,000 advocates will assemble for CARE's three-day conference beginning Tuesday, March 8th, 2011 - the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day (IWD). The event kicks off with a concert headlined by India.Arie and featuring performances by other musical artists dedicated to empowering women and girls.

Following Tuesday's concert, advocates will gather on March 9th to learn about issues related to global poverty and CARE's unique poverty-fighting strategy of empowering women and girls. Attendees will hear from high-profile experts such as former First Lady Laura Bush, Melinda Gates, CARE President & CEO Dr. Helene Gayle, USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah and Ambassador Melanne Verveer. Speakers will address pressing humanitarian issues 'including the critical need for foreign aid funding, the importance of quality education for girls and the significance of economic opportunities for women.

A keynote address by Congresswoman Kay Granger (R-TX) will kick off CARE's lobby day on March 10th. More than 1,000 CARE advocates from nearly every state will head to Capitol Hill to meet with their Congressional representatives and take an active role in influencing U.S. policy to improve the lives of millions of marginalized women and girls around the world.

For further information, please visit: http://www.careconference.org/events.asp

WHO:

Over the three-day period, CARE advocates will hear from the following:

• Dr. Helene Gayle, CARE USA CEO & President

• Mrs. Laura W. Bush, Former First Lady

• Barbara Bush, President & Co-Founder, Global Health Corps

• Jenna Bush Hager, Contributing Correspondent, NBC News' "Today"

• The Honorable Melanne Verveer, Ambassador-At-Large for Global Women's Issues

• Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

• The Honorable Dr. Rajiv Shah, Administrator, USAID

• The Honorable Kay Granger (R-TX), Chair, House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations

• The Honorable Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), U.S. House of Representatives

• The Honorable Jim McGovern (D-MA), U.S. House of Representatives

• The Honorable Laura Richardson (D-CA), U.S. House of Representatives

• The Honorable Aaron Schock (R-IL), U.S. House of Representatives

• Lloyd Blankfein, Chairman & CEO, Goldman Sachs

• Sheila Johnson, Founder, BET & Owner WNBA Washington Mystics

• Judy Woodruff, Senior Correspondent, NewsHour, PBS

• Maria Menounos, Special Correspondent, Access Hollywood

• Christy Turlington Burns, Maternal Health Advocate

• Auma Obama, Technical Advisor, Sports for Social Change Initiative, CARE USA

• India.Arie, Musician, 2010 Grammy Winner

• Michael Franti, Musician, 2011 Nominee of NAACP Image Award

• Sarah Darling, Musician

WHEN:

March 8-10, 2011

WHERE:

Washington Hilton

1919 Connecticut Ave. NW

Washington, DC 20009

Press Contacts:

Julie Bernstein, CARE, (202) 595-2832, [email protected]

Niki Clark, CARE, (202) 595-2830, [email protected]