Dorothy Height, known as “the godmother of the civil rights movement” and a hero to many Americans, passed away yesterday at 98 years old. Her passing certainly brings much sadness to all those who remember her seven decades of relentless advocacy for racial equality. But in celebrating the life she lived, Americans are also reminded of the crucial but often overlooked role of women in the civil rights movement.

Amy Goodman, renowned journalist and host of Democracy Now!, has reported the death of Myriam Merlet, Chief of Staff, Ministry of Women’s Affair’s in Haiti. Yesterday, Goodman reported the tragic news of Merlet’s death caused by last week’s earthquake. Merlet represented the strength of the women’s movement in Haiti and was a friend to so many women there. One of the great feminists of the country, she brought significant social change and drew much attention to the problems women face in Haiti.

On March 3, 2009, WCI President Marjorie Margolies and Suraya Pakzad of Afghanistan addressed a crowd eager to discuss global gender issues in preparation for International Women’s Day, 2009. WCI now applauds Ms. Pakzad as she has been named one of TIME Magazine’s Most Influential People for 2009!