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| International Women's Day: events highlighting gender inequality take place around the world - live updates | International Women's Day: events highlighting gender inequality take place around the world - live updates |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| On International Women’s Day, we’ll be following the commemorative events all around the world. | On International Women’s Day, we’ll be following the commemorative events all around the world. |
| Australia | |
| The Australian government has announced the country’s first Ambassador for Gender Equality, made to coincide with IWD. | |
| The role will be held by Julie-Ann Guivarra, a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and replaces the role of Ambassador for Women and Girls, a position that had been held by former Liberal MP Sharman Stone since 2017. | |
| As part of her role, Ms Guivarra will “work to ensure that gender equality, and empowerment of women and girls, is a central focus of Australia’s diplomatic, development, and regional security efforts,” Minister for Women, Senator Payne, said. | |
| France | |
| Members of the women’s movement FEMEN have staged a protest on the Place de la Concorde in Paris, calling for an end to patriarchy. | |
| The demonstration appears to reference the current outbreak of coronavirus, with some placards saying “stop the patriarchal virus” and “stop the patriarchal pandemic”. Whilst topless, the activists’ outfits resemble hazmat suits. | |
| Russia | |
| The youth section of Russia’s ruling party, United Russia Young Guard, has organised marches marking IWD. | |
| Want to celebrate IWD from the comfort of your sofa? My colleague Guy Lodge has compiled the best films to watch this IWD, celebrating the work of female directors. | Want to celebrate IWD from the comfort of your sofa? My colleague Guy Lodge has compiled the best films to watch this IWD, celebrating the work of female directors. |
| Kyrgyzstan | Kyrgyzstan |
| A demonstration on Victory Square in the capital of Bishkek has led to the arrest of several protesters from the women’s movement, FEMEN. | A demonstration on Victory Square in the capital of Bishkek has led to the arrest of several protesters from the women’s movement, FEMEN. |
| FEMEN are known around the world for their protests, which are usually conducted topless by women with slogans written across their bodies. | FEMEN are known around the world for their protests, which are usually conducted topless by women with slogans written across their bodies. |
| In 2015, studies showed that 11,800 women in Kyrgyzstan are kidnapped to be married, a process known as bride kidnapping, every year. One fifth of these are victims of violence including rape. | In 2015, studies showed that 11,800 women in Kyrgyzstan are kidnapped to be married, a process known as bride kidnapping, every year. One fifth of these are victims of violence including rape. |
| You can read more about gender inequality and the fight against it in Kyrgyzstan and other former USSR countries in this article from Joanna Lillis, published on IWD five years ago. | You can read more about gender inequality and the fight against it in Kyrgyzstan and other former USSR countries in this article from Joanna Lillis, published on IWD five years ago. |
| Chile | Chile |
| More than a million women in Chile are set to take to the streets today, as IWD demonstrations build on a wave of social unrest that took off in October last year. | More than a million women in Chile are set to take to the streets today, as IWD demonstrations build on a wave of social unrest that took off in October last year. |
| The unrest began in response to rising metro fares, but has grown to address wider issues of social injustice, inequality and costs of living. | The unrest began in response to rising metro fares, but has grown to address wider issues of social injustice, inequality and costs of living. |
| You can read more about the social movement erupting in Chile, and its impact on IWD, from my colleague Charis McGowan here: | You can read more about the social movement erupting in Chile, and its impact on IWD, from my colleague Charis McGowan here: |
| Mexico | Mexico |
| Femicides in Mexico have more than doubled in the past five years, and this is set to be a theme of IWD events in the country. A march in Mexico’s capital is expected to bring record numbers of women on to the streets. They’re heading to the public square across from the national palace to call for an end to violence against women. | Femicides in Mexico have more than doubled in the past five years, and this is set to be a theme of IWD events in the country. A march in Mexico’s capital is expected to bring record numbers of women on to the streets. They’re heading to the public square across from the national palace to call for an end to violence against women. |
| “I’m going to march for each and every woman in this country, for the dead and the living, for the victims of violence,” Carmen Rojas, 52, in Mexico City, told Reuters. “We have to raise our voices.” | “I’m going to march for each and every woman in this country, for the dead and the living, for the victims of violence,” Carmen Rojas, 52, in Mexico City, told Reuters. “We have to raise our voices.” |
| Yesterday, on the eve of IWD, around 200 protesters made a “feminist chain” in Mexico City to protest against gender-based violence. | Yesterday, on the eve of IWD, around 200 protesters made a “feminist chain” in Mexico City to protest against gender-based violence. |
| Hello, and welcome to the Guardian’s coverage of International Women’s Day (IWD) 2020. We’ll be looking at the IWD events taking place around the world. | Hello, and welcome to the Guardian’s coverage of International Women’s Day (IWD) 2020. We’ll be looking at the IWD events taking place around the world. |
| If you’re celebrating, protesting, or hosting, let us know! You can tweet me @mollyblackall. | If you’re celebrating, protesting, or hosting, let us know! You can tweet me @mollyblackall. |
| What is IWD? | What is IWD? |
| According to the United Nations, who sponsor the event, IWD is “is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women, who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities.” | According to the United Nations, who sponsor the event, IWD is “is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women, who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities.” |
| IWD has taken place each year on March 8 since 1977, when the UN General Assembly invited member states to announce the day as the UN Day for women’s rights and world peace. | |
| This year’s theme is “I am Generation Equality: Realizing women’s rights”. | This year’s theme is “I am Generation Equality: Realizing women’s rights”. |
| UN coverage of the day highlights the obstacles still faced by women around the world, reminding us that women earn 23% less than men globally, and make up just 24% of parliamentary seats worldwide. | UN coverage of the day highlights the obstacles still faced by women around the world, reminding us that women earn 23% less than men globally, and make up just 24% of parliamentary seats worldwide. |