International Women’s Day is as vital as ever. Unequal income, a lack of access to education, outdated perceptions of gender roles, and sexual and domestic violence: our special attention is still needed when it comes to equal rights for men and women, and ensuring that all human rights of women and girls are respected.

On this special day I commend all those women, girls, men and boys who campaign for women’s rights around the world, often in difficult conditions and far from the media spotlight. They deserve our profound respect.

Women’s rights policy, equality between men and women, protecting women and improving their human rights situation are central planks of the Government’s human rights policy. Germany champions the strengthening of women’s rights at all levels worldwide.

Germany is playing an active role in efforts to meet the goal of achieving gender equality by 2030 as set out by the United Nations in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It has, for example, introduced boardroom quotas, improved transparency as to real wages, adopted measures to improve the work family balance, taken steps to tackle violence against women and combat human trafficking, and guaranteed shelter for refugee women and children in Germany. We also attach outstanding importance to strengthening the role of women in peace processes and to curtailing violence against women and girls around the world. Advancing the UN Security Council’s Women, Peace and Security Agenda is viewed by the German Government as a key cross cutting task.