In Pictures: People across the world honour International Women’s Day

People across the globe have come together to celebrate International Women’s Day.

The March 8 event gives focus to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.

International Women’s Day is a public holiday in several countries.

The UN observes the holiday in connection with a particular issue, campaign, or theme in women’s rights.

Swimmers take a dip in the Firth of Forth at Portobello in Edinburgh, to mark International Women’s Day (Jane Barlow/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Jane Barlow

Campaigners for Women Against State Pension Inequality Campaign (Waspis) gather at the statue of political activist Mary Barbour (Andrew Milligan/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Andrew Milligan

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer joins Lioness Fara Williams and students in the FA’s ‘Let Girls Play’ initiative (Stefan Rousseau/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Stefan Rousseau

First Minister Humza Yousaf during a visit to Task Childcare in Glasgow to mark International Women’s Day (Andrew Milligan/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Andrew Miligan

Participants march to mark the International Women’s Day in Tokyo (Eugene Hoshiko/AP)Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved - Eugene Hoshiko

Women supporters of a religious party Jamaa-e-Islami take part in a rally to mark the International Women’s Day in Lahore, Pakistan (KM Chaudary/AP)Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. - K.M. Chaudary

International Women’s Day in Lahore (KM Chaudary)Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. - K.M. Chaudary

Cambodians attend a running event called ‘Women of Victory’ to mark the International Women’s Day at at a public park in Phnom Penh (Heng Sinith/AP)Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. - Heng Sinith

Members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions march during a rally marking International Women’s Day in Seoul (Ahn Young-joon/AP)Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. - Ahn Young-joon

International Women’s Day in Seoul (Ahn Young-joon/AP)Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. - Ahn Young-joon

An activist removes her bra to symbolise their breaking free from restrictions imposed on them as they join an International Women’s Day protest in Manila, Philippines (Aaron Favila/AP)Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved - Aaron Favila

(KM Chaudary/AP)Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. - K.M. Chaudary

A group of women stand along the beach, commemorating International Women’s Day by calling for the release of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip (Oded Balilty/AP)Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. - Oded Balilty