First, the good news. On March 11th, President Obama created the White House Council on Women and Girls. The council will be responsible for ensuring that the U.S. government develops policies to address women’s health care, violence against women, women’s economic status, and issues of work/life balance.

The announcement was certainly cause for celebration (I’m not ashamed to admit that his speech got me choked up). But this year, Women’s History Month was also filled with sobering reminders of the challenges the council faces, and just how much girls need policies that value their lives and nurture their potential.

“Girls Who Think They’re Fat are More Suicidal.” According to a recent study, girls who see themselves as overweight are 5.6 percent more likely to have suicidal thoughts and 3.2 percent more likely to attempt suicide. This statistic is one more piece in the growing pile of evidence proving that body image is central to girls’ health. Body dissatisfaction can be downright dangerous. Yes, children need to learn how to eat healthfully. But let’s not forget that there are many girls in the healthy weight range who hate their bodies and think they are too fat. We must start teaching girls that healthy bodies come in many shapes and sizes.

“Girls’ Sports Opportunities MIA in City Schools.” A study conducted by the Women’s Sports Foundation found that urban girls have some of the lowest rates of sports participation of U.S. adolescents, which means that these girls are missing out on much more than just physical activity. They are being deprived of leadership opportunities, too. “Girls who play sports tend not to get involved in drugs or other risky behaviors,” said Lurline Jones, 64, a retired high school basketball coach from Philadelphia. “They learn cooperation and discipline, which helps you in life.”

“Teenage Girls Stand By Their Man.” The New York Times reports that some girls are reluctant to let go of their fantasy image of pop star Chris Brown, who was recently arrested and charged with beating his girlfriend, singer Rihanna. “She probably made him mad for him to react like that,” said a ninth grade girl from the Bronx. “You know, like, bring it on?” This high-profile case has sparked intense public discussion about the realities of violence against women. Let’s not forget that teen dating violence is a reality. If girls think there is such a thing as “bringing it on,” it is clear they need education and resources to recognize abuse and get help if they need it.

What headlines caught your attention this month? What would you put on the council’s agenda?