France inscribed the guaranteed right to abortion in its constitution Friday, in a world first and a powerful message of support to women around the globe on International Women’s Day.

A woman from Argentina, a couple from Miami and a man from Czechia were among those gathered on the polished cobblestones of Place Vendome in Paris to watch the historic event unfurl in an outdoor ceremony open the public. Women in the crowd recalled their own abortions, or lifelong battles for reproductive rights.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that he wants the European Union to guarantee the right to an abortion in its Charter of Fundamental Rights.

Macron was speaking at a ceremony held in Paris, where Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti used a centuries-old press to seal the right to abortion into the French constitution, following an overwhelming vote by lawmakers on Monday.

"Today is not the end of the story but the start of a fight," Macron told the ceremony, which coincided with International Women's Day.

On International Women’s Day, it is the tradition of modern women to grumble about men. Permit me to join them: My grievance is with the majority male French Parliament, which on Monday voted overwhelmingly to enshrine a right to abortion in the French constitution. 

Friday (8 March) marks International Women’s Day 2024, an annual day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women – not that that shouldn’t be happening every day already, mind.

This year’s theme, Inspire Inclusion, aims to “inspire others to understand and value women’s inclusion”.

As a section on the International Women’s Day website reads: “When women are inspired to be included, there’s a sense of belonging, relevance and empowerment. Collectively, let’s forge a more inclusive world for women.”

Women have played an unprecedented role in the war against Hamas. They have also suffered grievously at the hands of Hamas. These twin narratives, of how Hamas targeted Israeli women and also kidnapped female IDF soldiers, and how women have been fighting Hamas in Gaza and in numerous other roles in the IDF, is part of this conflict.

On International Women’s Day, the women of Gaza are continuing their daily struggle to care for their children and families, and to stay alive. Four women who have been displaced by Israel’s war on Gaza since October 7, along with their families, talked to Al Jazeera about their lives now.

At dawn on Friday, Baljeet Kaur, a farmer from Punjab, led a group of 200 women to the village of Shambhu in the state with one mission in mind: to join the ongoing farmers’ protest in India on International Women’s Day.

The 38-year-old mother of two from Chamuru village said that it was important to raise awareness of the struggles faced by women farmers in India on this day.

Millions of people around the world planned to demonstrate, attend conferences and enjoy artistic events Wednesday to mark International Women’s Day, an annual observance established to recognize women and to demand equality for half of the planet’s population.

While activists in some nations noted advances, repression in countries such as Afghanistan and Iran, and the large numbers of women and girls who experience sexual assaults and domestic violence worldwide highlighted the ongoing struggle to secure women’s rights.

On this International Women’s Day in 2023, the “glass ceiling” is alive and well, blocking women from advancement across the corporate world. This is true at Fortune 500 companies, where they experience slower career climbs than their male peers, among executives in general—where more are excluded from informal networks and mentors—and among MBA graduates’ careers, where women end up paid less. That’s all despite having similar qualifications, skills and experience.

Since International Women's Day was first celebrated over a century ago, the number of female-owned and operated companies has grown, with many women acting in top-level corporate positions in various industries. 

However, female ownership still represents a visible minority of overall business owners in the United States and across the globe. The U.S. Census Bureau released a study in 2022 that showed women-owned companies generate approximately $1.9 trillion in sales and are responsible for employing nearly 10 million workers nationwide.