World leaders and international organizations are calling for more rights and opportunities for women in order to help solve many of the world's problems.
The calls come as many parts of the world mark International Women's Day on Monday.
U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are hosting a reception at the White House Monday to mark the occasion.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said Monday that peace and stability "can only be achieved with the participation of women as equal partners with men." At an event last week, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the world body's goals "stand in jeopardy" because women are still subject to poverty and discrimination.
Women's Day was first celebrated in the United States in 1909. Two years later, more than 1 million people attended events in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland during the first International Women's Day.
Some information for this report was provided by Reuters.
