Marches and protests are held Friday across the globe to mark International Women91裸聊视频檚 Day under the slogan #BalanceforBetter, with calls for a more gender-balanced world.
The day, sponsored by the United Nations since 1975, celebrates women91裸聊视频檚 achievements and aims to further their rights.
Thousands of women walked off the job in Spain, joining millions more around the world demanding equality amid a persistent salary gap, violence and widespread inequality.
"I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own." - Audre Lorde
91裸聊视频� Emmy (@KcCuppyCake)
North America
On the eve of International Women91裸聊视频檚 Day, U.S. first lady Melania Trump saluted women from 10 countries for their courage.
The recipients of the International Women of Courage Award included human rights activists, police officers and an investigative journalist. They came from Bangladesh, Djibouti, Egypt, Ireland, Jordan, Montenegro, Myanmar, Peru, Sri Lanka and Tanzania.
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91裸聊视频淐ourage is what divides those who only talk about change from those who actually act to change,91裸聊视频� Mrs. Trump said at a ceremony Thursday that was also attended by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Pompeo separately recognized women in Iran for protesting the requirement that they wear a head covering known as a hijab in public and a Ukrainian activist who died in 2018 after she was attacked with sulfuric acid.
Europe
Police in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv detained three people as far-right demonstrators tried to provoke activists protesting domestic and sexual violence.
About 300 people gathered on Mykhailivska Square in central Kyiv on Friday for the women91裸聊视频檚 rights demonstration. Several dozen far-right demonstrators stood nearby, holding placards reading 91裸聊视频淕od! Homeland! Patriarchy!91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频淔eminism is destroying Ukrainian families.91裸聊视频�
In Spain, where women91裸聊视频檚 rights have become one of the hot topics in the run-up to a general election next month, many female employees didn91裸聊视频檛 show up to work Friday. Others also halted domestic work or left to men the care of children and ill or elderly people.
In neighbouring Portugal, the Cabinet observed a minute of silence Thursday as part of a day of national mourning it decreed for victims of domestic violence. Portuguese police say 12 women have died this year in domestic violence incidents 91裸聊视频� the highest number over the same period in 10 years.
Pope Francis hailed the 91裸聊视频渋rreplaceable contribution of women91裸聊视频� to fostering peace.
91裸聊视频淲omen make the world beautiful, they protect it and keep it alive,91裸聊视频� the Argentine Jesuit said.
Francis has vowed to give more decision-making roles to women in the Catholic Church, where the priesthood 91裸聊视频攁nd therefore the highest ranks of authority91裸聊视频� is reserved for men. Some feminists bristle at Francis91裸聊视频� frequent use of the term 91裸聊视频渇eminine genius91裸聊视频� and his focus on women as mothers.
In Germany, topless feminist protesters went to one of the country91裸聊视频檚 most famous red-light districts in Hamburg and pulled down a metal barrier wall intended to keep out women 91裸聊视频� other than prostitutes.
A half-dozen women belonging to the Femen activist group had the slogan 91裸聊视频淣o brothels for women91裸聊视频� written on their bare back in black lettering.
Legally, all women are allowed to enter the street, but in reality most women obey the signs saying, 91裸聊视频淓ntry only for men 18+.91裸聊视频�
In France, the first Simone Veil prize went Friday to a Cameroonian activist who has worked against forced marriages and other violence against girls and women. Aissa Doumara Ngatansou was married against her will at age 15 but insisted upon continuing her studies as a young wife. She has since turned her attention to victims of Boko Haram extremists.
The French award is named for the trailblazing French politician and Holocaust survivor Veil, who spearheaded the fight to legalize abortion.
Meanwhile in Russia, International Women91裸聊视频檚 Day is a public holiday but it mostly lauds gender roles that are now outdated. As is his custom every year, President Vladimir Putin gave a speech thanking women for their patience, good grace and support.
91裸聊视频淵ou manage to do everything: both at work and at home and at the same time you remain beautiful, charismatic, charming, the centre of gravity for the whole family, uniting it with your love,91裸聊视频� Putin said.
In Turkey, four female members of Turkey91裸聊视频檚 gendarmerie units found an unusual way of marking the day: rappelling down from Istanbul91裸聊视频檚 15 July Martyrs91裸聊视频� Bridge connecting the city91裸聊视频檚 European and Asian sides and into the waters of the iconic Bosporus.
It's 鈦� 鈦� and thousands of people have been taking to the streets in Bilbao, Basque Country, as part of a nationwide feminist strike.
91裸聊视频� Xavi Ruiz 馃帡 (@xruiztru)
Asia
In India, hundreds of women marched on the streets of New Delhi demanding an end to domestic violence, sexual attacks and discrimination in jobs.
Boys are prized more than girls in India. Thousands of Indian women are killed 91裸聊视频� often doused in gasoline and burned to death 91裸聊视频� every year because the groom or his family feel the dowry she brought to the wedding was inadequate.
Political parties in India have for years been promising 33 per cent of seats for women in the country91裸聊视频檚 Parliament, but they have yet to enact legislation to that effect.
In Indonesia91裸聊视频檚 capital Jakarta, several hundred men and women carried colorful placards calling for an end to discriminative practices such as the termination of employment for pregnancy and exploitative work contracts.
91裸聊视频淥ur action today is to urge (the government) for our right to a society that91裸聊视频檚 democratic, prosperous, equal and free from violence,91裸聊视频� said Dian Trisnanti, a labour activist. Girls and women in Indonesia, the world91裸聊视频檚 fourth most populous country, have equal access to education but face higher unemployment, lower wages and poorer working conditions than men.
Both Koreas marked the day. In the South, women wearing black cloaks and pointed hats marched against what they describe as a 91裸聊视频渨itch hunt91裸聊视频� of feminists in a deeply conservative society.
College student Noh Seo-young said that South Korea struggles to accept that women are 91裸聊视频渁lso humans91裸聊视频� and that women have to fight until they can 91裸聊视频渨alk around safely.91裸聊视频�
In the North, where Women91裸聊视频檚 Day is one of the few national holidays that is not explicitly political in nature, people dressed up for family photo shoots or bought roses for their mothers or wives at the many small, bright orange street stalls in central Pyongyang that sell flowers. The stalls normally do most of their business selling flowers to be placed at the feet of statues to the country91裸聊视频檚 leaders.
In the Philippines, hundreds of women in purple shirts used a noisy march and protest in Manila to call for the ouster of President Rodrigo Duterte, whom they rebuked for the often sexist jokes he cracks and authoritarian moves they say are threatening one of Asia91裸聊视频檚 liveliest democracies.
They toppled an ugly head effigy of Duterte from atop paper blocks with slogans depicting him as an American lapdog.
Africa
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who named one of the world91裸聊视频檚 few 91裸聊视频済ender-balanced91裸聊视频� Cabinets last year, told a gathering that 91裸聊视频渨omen are the pillars of the nation and the least recognized for their sacrifices.91裸聊视频�
In Nigeria, the U.S. Embassy hosted talks on sexual harassment that included a founder of the recent .ArewaMeToo campaign among women in the country91裸聊视频檚 conservative, largely Muslim north. And in Niger, first lady Aissata Issoufou Mahamadou oversaw the awards in the Miss Intellect Niger contest.
Women protested against gender-based violence in Kenya91裸聊视频檚 capital.
91裸聊视频淲e haven91裸聊视频檛 gotten to a stage where women are comfortable to come out and say, 91裸聊视频業 was sexually abused,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� said protester Esther Passaris. 91裸聊视频淪o what we need to do is slowly, slowly grow.91裸聊视频�
AP reporters across the globe contributed to this report. Barry Hatton reported from Lisbon, Portugal.
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