By Cherri Gregg

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Women’s History Month kicked off on Friday.

Ninety-three years ago, American Women won the right to vote with the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Since then, women have stepped forward with first after first, making major contributions to society.

“It was women who organized women’s community projects in New York, where there were slums. It was women who worked to stop domestic violence,” says Lynn Yeakel, the founder of Vision 2020, a coalition of more than 22 million women and girls working together for women’s economic equality.

She says there’s been a lot of progress — there are more women in Congress, more female CEOs, and laws that help women balance work and family — but more needs to be done, especially when it comes to equalizing pay.

“Although we have large numbers of women in higher education and, in some places, more than men, there is research that shows even out of college, a woman is paid less than her male counterpart,” Yeakel explains.

Yeakel also says Vision 2020 is planning to bring the world’s largest group of women leaders to Philadelphia for a conference in the year 2020.