Events are being held across the globe to mark International Women’s Day.

From concerts and conferences to fun runs and festivals – people were invited to celebrate the day with friends, family or colleagues.

The aim is to help forge a more gender-balanced world by raising awareness, celebrating achievements by women and to hold rallies for change.

Internatoinal Women’s Day
Activists protest to mark International Women’s Day near the Malacanang presidential palace in Manila, Philippines (Aaron Favila/AP)

International Women’s Day
Flowers prepared for International Women’s Day in Pyongyang, North Korea (Dita Alangkara/AP)

Women watch a street play on domestic violence before the start of a march to mark International Women’s Day in New Delhi, India
Women watch a street play on domestic violence before the start of a march to mark International Women’s Day in New Delhi, India (Manish Swarup/AP)

An activist uses an umbrella as she marks International Women’s Day during a rally in Jakarta, Indonesia
An activist wears an umbrella during a rally in Jakarta, Indonesia (Achmad Ibrahim/AP)

A woman wearing a headband with a sign that reads 'enough' takes part in a rally in Manila (Aaron Favila/AP)
A woman wearing a headband with a sign that reads ‘enough’ takes part in a rally in Manila (Aaron Favila/AP)

Artists draw graffiti on a wall of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs to mark International Women’s Day in Kabul, Afghanistan
Artists draw graffiti on a wall of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs to mark International Women’s Day in Kabul, Afghanistan (Rahmat Gul/AP)