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In Pictures: Thousands rally on International Women’s Day

Thousands march to demand gender equality, better working conditions and an end to violence against women.

Afghanistan refugee women living in India hold placards during a demonstration to mark International Womens' Day in New Delhi, India. [Manish Swarup/AP Photo]
Published On 8 Mar 2021

Marches marking International Women’s Day took place around the world on Monday, despite the widespread imposition of restrictions designed to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

Thousands took to the streets in cities across Asia, the Middle East and Europe to demand gender equality, better working conditions and an end to violence against women. Marches were planned in cities across Latin America and North America.

The United Nations human rights agency warned that the pandemic is robbing many refugees, displaced and stateless women and girls of their livelihoods and their future, and growing poverty is endangering the lives of many.

“The unprecedented socioeconomic impacts of the pandemic are leaving many lives in peril. We are seeing extremely worrying increases in reports of gender-based violence, including domestic violence, forced marriages, child labour and adolescent pregnancies,” said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.

An Ethnic Uighur demonstrator holding a placard that reads 'Rape is crime of humanity' takes part in a gathering on the occasion of International Women's Day in Istanbul, Turkey, to protest against China's treatment of Uighurs. [Murad Sezer/Reuters]
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People attend a demonstration to mark International Women's Day, amid the coronavirus pandemic in Berlin, Germany. [Annegret Hilse/Reuters]
Women hold placards and shout slogans during a rally for gender equality and against violence towards women to mark the International Women's Day in Pristina, Kosovo. [Armend Nimani/AFP]
Women take part in a protest during the International Women's Day in Jakarta, Indonesia. [Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/Reuters]
Women take part in a rally demanding tax-free sanitary products during the International Women's Day in Kathmandu, Nepal. [Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters]
Activists of the Non una di Meno (Not One Less) movement demonstrate against structural violence and for economic independence in front of the Ministry of Economy on the occasion of International Women's Day, in Rome, Italy. [Angelo Carconi/EPA]
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Demonstrators hold banners as they participate in a rally against gender-based violence and discrimination in Tokyo, Japan. [Franck Robichon/EPA]
Women shout slogans during a protest against the rise in fuel prices on the occasion of International Women's Day in Kolkata, India. [Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters]
A woman beats a drum with a sign that translates as 'Beat patriarchy' as she takes part in a march to mark International Women's Day in Almaty, Kazakhstan. [Pavel Mikheyev/Reuters]
A police officer blocks demonstrators holding a banner as they protest during the International Women's Day, in Manila, Philippines. [Lisa Marie David/Reuters]
Demonstrators wearing face masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus hold a rainbow-coloured umbrella during a rally before the International Women's Day in Istanbul, Turkey. [Murad Sezer/Reuters]
Women take part in a feminist protest in front of the Romanian government's headquarters in Bucharest, Romania. [Daniel Mihailescu/AFP]
Women police officers escort activists of the Aurat March during a rally to mark the International Women's Day in Islamabad, Pakistan. [Aamir Qureshi/AFP]
Midwives demonstrate in Strasbourg, eastern France, to call for better working conditions as part of the international Women's Day. [Frederick Florin/AFP]