The beginnings of International Women’s Day — a mass protest by thousands of women in New York City seeking better pay and working conditions, and the right to vote — has evolved into a day to take stock of the progress made toward gender equality worldwide as well as issues that still need to be addressed.
International Women's Day: March 8, 2016
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Demonstrators are stopped by the police during a protest ahead of the International Women's Day, in Istanbul, Turkey, March 6, 2016.
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Palestinian and Israeli activists take part in a demonstration calling for a better future for both people and ahead of the annual International Women's Day, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, March 4, 2016.
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The day before International Women's Day, victims of sexual abuse hug after taking part in a project to speak out against sexual violence, in Jerusalem, March 7, 2016.
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Participants leave after attending a reception to commemorate International Women's Day on the sideline of the National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, March 7, 2016.