Reposted from the Ithaca Journal.

The governor announced his 10-Point Women’s Equality Agenda in February 2013. In September 2013, the League of Women Voters of Tompkins County held a press conference announcing our support of the agenda.

Unfortunately, it did not become law. The Assembly passed a bill that included all 10 points; the Senate voted for 10 separate bills and passed nine of the 10 — the 10th being the point addressing women’s reproductive health choices. We need the Assembly and Senate to pass all 10 points into law.

Women obtained the right to vote in the 19th Amendment, but they still only receive 83 percent of what a man earns for the same job responsibilities. One out of every five women will be raped at some time in her life. A woman who is raped often does not have the ability to get an abortion because so many closures of clinics. Women continue to suffer inappropriate sexual advances from their bosses and peers at the work place. When will women be treated with respect and dignity?

There are too many challenges that erode women’s health and well-being. We need to take a stand to stop this erosion and bring sanity into women’s lives. Some people provide more care to their pets than they do to women. Let’s make a change now.

To highlight the Tompkins County League’s ongoing support of Gov. AndrewCuomo’s Agenda for Women, we are providing the community a series of four programs — “Challenges to Women’s Health and Well-being.” There will be a program one each on women’s reproductive rights, domestic violence against women, sexual harassment in the workplace and pay equity. Members from our community’s agencies will be speaking on these points.

The series will be presented on at 7:30 to 9 p.m. Mondays at the public library, starting on Sept. 8. We are pleased that the following organizations are co-sponsoring these programs: Planned Parenthood of the Southern Tier, NOW, AAUW, Ithaca Health Alliance, New York StateWide Senior Action Council and Tompkins County Human Rights Commission.

Join us, put your hands together and help us make being a woman someone who is cherished, duly compensated for her work and talents, and helped when in need.

Sharp is the president of the League of Women Voters of Tompkins County.