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Achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls is the unfinished business of our time, and the greatest human rights challenge in our world, reads by the statement by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres ahead of International Women's Day celebrated on March 8 worldwide

In UN Secretary General's words, a pivotal moment has come women's rights as the historical and structural inequalities that have allowed oppression and discrimination to flourish are being exposed like never before. "From Latin America to Europe to Asia, on social media, on film sets, on the factory floor and in the streets, women are calling for lasting change and zero tolerance for sexual assault, harassment, and discrimination of all kinds. The activism and advocacy of generations of women has borne fruit. There are more girls in school than ever before; more women are doing paid work and in senior roles in the private sector, academia, politics and in international organizations, including the United Nations. Gender equality is enshrined in countless laws, and harmful practices like female genital mutilation and child marriage have been outlawed in many countries," the statement said.

However, in the UN Chief's view, serious obstacles remain if we are to address the historic power imbalances that underpin discrimination and exploitation.

"More than a billion women around the world lack legal protection against domestic sexual violence. The global gender pay gap is 23 per cent, rising to 40 per cent in rural areas, and the unpaid work done by many women goes unrecognized. Women's representation in national parliaments stands, on average, at less than one quarter, and in boardrooms it is even lower. Without concerted action, millions more girls will be subjected to genital mutilation over the next decade." said Guterres.

"At this crucial moment for women's rights, it is time for men to stand with women, listen to them and learn from them. Transparency and accountability are essential if women are to reach their full potential and lift all of us, in our communities, societies and economies," the statement concluded.