Women around the world rally for change on International Women's Day
  • 6 years ago
Millions of women across the world gathered on Thursday to protest, strike and celebrate International Women's Day.
The occasion this year is gaining more attention following the emergence of the MeToo and TimesUp movements against sexual harassment and gender equality.
Ro Aram reports.

The biggest movement appears to be happening in Spain, where female workers across the country launched an unprecedented 24-hour strike on Thursday to protest against gender inequality and sexual discrimination, especially in the workplace.
Hundreds of thousands of women took to the streets in dozens of cities across the country.

"We have to fight to make our situation known, as much in the social sphere, as in the workplace, in the home. Therefore what we are doing today is stopping work to show that if women stop, the world stops."

Organizers say more than five million women are taking part in the strike and are stopping work and putting off household chores.
In Russia, International Women's Day is a public holiday and women took the day off to take part in demonstrations, though on a much smaller scale compared to Spain.
To mark the occasion, President Putin recited a Soviet-era poem to praise women's contribution to society.
Over in Asia, activists in Manila staged a rally against Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who they claim is among the worst violators of women's rights in Asia.
Other events marking International Women's Day are also being held in dozens of other nations.
Meanwhile, businesses are also taking part in the action.
McDonald's is temporarily flipping its iconic M-shaped golden arches on certain packaging to show a 'W' to celebrate women.
But the move quickly faced backlash as critics suggested the fast-food giant should pay its workers a living wage rather than stage what they called a cheap PR stunt.
Ro Aram, Arirang News.
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