Many national leaders including President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, conveyed their greetings to all women on International Women’s Day and saluted their brave spirit, acknowledging their contribution towards the development of society and nation.
“On the occasion of International Women’s Day, I extend my greetings to all women. This is a day to recognise the contributions of women in different facets of life, whether personal or professional,” President Ram Nath Kovind said in his message.
“India’s women have succeeded admirably in their endeavours, often in the face of formidable challenges. They are a source of inspiration for their families and for our society and nation,” he added.
Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu in his message said the social, economic and political empowerment of women should be given top priority.
“With women constituting about 50 per cent of our population, social, economic and political empowerment of women, including providing reservation in the Parliament and State Legislatures, has to be accorded top priority for the country to achieve rapid progress,” he said.
“Many issues concerning women get highlighted today. But two things which I feel should receive renewed focus are gender equality and safety of women. We all have to act collectively to raise awareness against discrimination of the girl child,’ the vice president said.
“An important area of concern is lower female literacy rate when compared to male literacy. This problem has to be addressed on a war footing to educate and empower women,” he further added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to express his wishes on International Women’s Day to promote women’s power.
“Moving from women development to women-led development. #InternationalWomensDay,” Modi said in a series of tweets.
“Transforming the lives of women, harnessing Nari Shakti to create a New India. #InternationalWomensDay,” he added.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in her message congratulated women all over the world for their contributions.
“We are proud of our women. They are the backbone of the world. We congratulate all the women of our country and all the women in the world,” she tweeted.
International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8 every year to acknowledge the courage and contribution of women all over the world. The day is also celebrated to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of audacity and determination by women who have played an extraordinary role in their countries and communities.
People from across the globe — from Australia to America — are celebrating the day with marches, rallies, conferences, networking events, and online discussions, to reflect on the advancements that have been made over time as well as steps that can be taken to promote gender equality.
Google’s doodle for the day, too, paid heed to the significance of the day, celebrating the work of 12 female artists from around the world.
Each artist shared a personal story through a series of visual narratives that represent “a moment, person or event that has impacted their lives as women,” according to a Google blog post.