Department of Human Services

County & University of Hawaii Committees on the Status of Women

In addition to proposing and advocating for legislation that supports the advancement of women and girls, the HSCSW focuses on specific issues during designated months.  Please check this site for scheduled events and pertinent resources, that can be used as is or adapted.

If you have an upcoming event in Hawaii, recognizing one of the designated days or months listed below, and you would like the HSCSW to post your event’s details below, please send an email to [email protected] for consideration.

Agendas and Minutes

January – Sex Trafficking Awareness Day

March – Women’s History Month, Girls Day (March 3), and International Women’s Day (March 8)

Local Events:

‘Rise of the Wahine’ screening set for March 8. In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Kaua’i County Committee on the Status of Women will host a free screening of the documentary film, “Rise of the Wahine,” on Saturday, March 8 at 2 p.m. at the Kaua’i Community College Performing Arts Center (KCCPAC). Resource Tables Open at 1:30p. The event is open to the public and all sports teams.

Series of events aimed at empowering Hawaii’s young women leaders. The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii Young Professionals is celebrating Women’s History Month in March with a series of events meant to uplift women in Hawaii’s business community while exploring the challenges they face in reaching top leadership positions. Learn More.

Girls Day (March 3)

To learn the story behind Girls Day in Hawaii (and get a mochi recipe), check out this 2020 article How We Celebrate Girls’ Day in Hawaiʻi from Hawaii Magazine.

International Women’s Day (March 8)

International Women’s Day (IWD) has been around for over a hundred years, as have many of the issues still impacting women’s advancement. Since 1911, IWD belongs to all who care about women’s equality. Celebrate women’s achievement. Raise awareness about discrimination. Take action to forge gender parity. Free IWD Resources and Toolkit.

MakeHER’s Market
Friday, March 7, 4:30 to 8 p.m.
Celebrate International Women’s Day by supporting local female entrepreneurs at this sip-and-shop event. You’ll meet more than 30 small business owners, hear their unique stories, shop for gifts, art, clothing and treats, plus enjoy cocktails, too. The vendor lineup includes Clétte, Mohala Eyewear, Pakahi Baskets, Rice Blossoms HI, Ten Tomorrow and more.

Get ready to be inspired at the Women of Wonders Film Fest!
Saturday, March 8
Short Program #1 starts at 5:30 p.m.
Short Program #2 starts at 7:30 p.m.
Celebrate the incredible stories and talents of women in the film industry. The film fest presents a selection of films directed by women, about women, for everybody. Each season, the festival highlights woman/girls-driven stories and the contributions of independent woman directors, producers, writers, actresses, cinematographers, and editors to the language of cinema.

April – Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) and Denim Day (the last Wednesday in April).

Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM)
As April 2025 approaches, the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) has released a comprehensive set of resources designed to support SAAM event and campaign planners in creating impactful outreach, education, and activism initiatives. These resources include a downloadable SAAM Proclamation, the popular #30DaysofSAAM social media challenge, and updated educational factsheets to enhance your efforts. Learn More.

Local events:

Statewide Sign Waving on Tuesday, April 1^st, 2025, 7:30 a.m. at two locations on Oahu. Check out the Oahu Save the Date flyer.

Denim Day (the last Wednesday in April)

Denim Day is recognized on a Wednesday in April in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The campaign began after a ruling by the Italian Supreme Court to overturn a rape conviction because the justices felt that since the victim was wearing tight jeans she must have helped the person who raped her remove them, thereby implying consent. Following the reversal, the women in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans in solidarity with the victim.

May – National Women’s Health Week

July – National Association of Commissions for Women (NACW)

September – Women’s Health Month

October – Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Political and Leadership Resources

Applications for Hawaii Boards and Commissions
The Office of the Governor oversees more than 160 boards and commissions established by the state constitution, statutes or executive orders, providing an opportunity for a cross-section of Hawaii residents to offer vital input.  The Governor’s team is looking for exceptional individuals who are dedicated to continuing the State of Hawaii’s momentum toward a strong and sustainable economy, and are committed to investing in the people of Hawaii and our statewide community.

Ready to Run
Created by the Center for American Women and Politics to train women in candidates, Ready to Run™ is a non-partisan campaign training program to encourage women to run for elective office, position themselves for appointive office, work on a campaign, or get involved in public life in other ways. Central to the Ready to Run™ model is an innovative, comprehensive curriculum that incorporates the political culture and climate of the locale and uses state and local campaign experts to highlight the specifics of running in a particular state or region. The program demystifies the process of running for elected office, encourages more women to mount campaigns, and introduces them to elected and appointed leaders, campaign consultants, and party officials in their state to whom they can turn as they get ready to run. CAWP’s model curriculum covers fundraising, positioning oneself for elected office, navigating the political party structure, media training, the nuts and bolts of organizing a campaign, mobilizing voters, and crafting a message.

Center for American Women in Politics
The Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), a unit of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is nationally recognized as the leading source of scholarly research and current data about American women’s political participation. Its mission is to promote greater knowledge and understanding about women’s participation in politics and government and to enhance women’s influence and leadership in public life.  CAWP’s education and outreach programs translate research findings into action, addressing women’s under-representation in political leadership with effective, imaginative programs serving a variety of audiences.

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Archival Information

Act 110 – Patsy Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act (Title IX)

Act 248 – Protection for Domestic Workers in Hawaiʻi
Act 248*, enacted in 2013, amends our state fair employment law to protect domestic workers against employment discrimination in terms, conditions, and privileges of employment, but not hiring and firing. Under the new law,  it is illegal for an employer to discriminate against a domestic employee in compensation or in terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because of race, sex, including gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, religion, color, ancestry, disability, or marital status. Under this new statutory protection, employers of domestics can choose who they want to work in their home or residence, and can hire and fire for any reason.   *Act 248, 2013 Session, §§ 1-2, amending Hawai‘i Revised Statutes §§ 378-1 and 378-2

Act_206 – Protection for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Survivors in the Workplace
In 2011, the state of Hawai‘i enacted Act 206 to protect the employment rights of victims of domestic and sexual violence by: (1) prohibiting employment discrimination on the basis of domestic or sexual violence victim status under H.R.S. chapter 378, part I “Discriminatory Practices”; and (2) amending H.R.S. chapter 378, part VI, formerly titled “Victims Leave” and renamed “Victims Protections”, to add a sub-part requiring employers to make reasonable accommodations for employees who are victims of domestic or sexual violence. Act 206
took effect on January 1, 2012.

Survivors Not Criminals Law — supporting all people in recovery from prostitution, not just sex trafficking victims
The first and only law in the United States to allow any person convicted of prostitution to vacate the conviction, even if they are not a victim of sex trafficking. The defendant can vacate if not convicted of another offense under the Penal Code within three years of the prostitution offense. The law does not extend to buyers and pimps. “We support the decriminalization and destigmatization of prostituting people, but not the system itself or those doing the harm. A criminal record makes it difficult for women to transition into “above-ground employment” and a “life free of stigma,” according to the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women.”

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TASK FORCES

1. Hawaii Home Birth Task Force

2. Micronesia Women’s Task Force

3. Housing Justice Task Force

4. Missing Murdered Native Hawaiian Women and Girls’ Task Force

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BOARDS AND COMMISSION

If interested in applying for a position as a Commissioner/Board Member, applications can be submitted through “Boards and Commissions” on the Governor’s page. The Governor’s office hopes to identify new members to fill vacancies at least by March 8^th, and no later than the Legislators’ deadline of March 30^th