Statement by Mike Bloomberg on the Start of Women's History Month

"This Women's History Month, America is marking the centennial of women gaining the right to vote. Generations of women worked to secure that right, and their victory was an enormous step forward for freedom and equality. But the march for equal rights continues, and as we honor the suffragettes' legacy, we must confront gender inequities that still exist, particularly in the workforce. Too many women are not receiving equal pay for equal work, especially women of color. Too few are reaching leadership positions. And America is the only western democracy that does not provide paid leave for new parents, which falls heaviest on women.

"Addressing those challenges starts with exercising our right to vote this year, and holding our elected officials accountable for ensuring true gender equity. As president, I will make child care more affordable, reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, and stop the war that Donald Trump is waging on women's reproductive rights.

"I've learned so much from the women in my family and the women I have worked with in business, in city hall, and in philanthropy, and I will be their strongest ally in the White House."