International Women's Day is a day to honor and celebrate the contribution women have made to the socio, cultural and economic sectors of society.

The theme of this year's International Women's Day is "DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality," as WHO calls to "highlight the role of innovative technology in promoting gender equality and meeting the health and developmental needs of women and girls."

The focus is on tackling the obstacles in "meaningful connectivity" and removing the digital gender divide by creating awareness about the issue, advocating for legal frameworks to keep women safe and promoting women's participation in science and technology.

"As we celebrate International Women's Day, I urge all stakeholders—from governments and partners to civil society and citizens—to support country-driven and gender-sensitive approaches to close the existing digital gender divide," WHO regional director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, said in a statement.

Women's Day
Women's Day pixabay

Here's a set of quotes from some of the most inspirational women of all time. (Courtesy: Country Living, Harpers Bazaar)

  1. "My mission in life is not merely to survive but to thrive and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style." – Maya Angelou
  2. "I raise up my voice—not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard. ... We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back." – Malala Yousafzai
  3. "I want to build a community where women of all races can communicate and ... continue to support and take care of each other. I want to give women a space to feel their own strength and tell their stories. That is power." – Beyoncé
  4. "No country can ever truly flourish if it stifles the potential of its women and deprives itself of the contributions of half of its citizens." – Michelle Obama
  5. "Women are leaders everywhere you look — from the CEO who runs a Fortune 500 company to the housewife who raises her children and heads her household. Our country was built by strong women, and we will continue to break down walls and defy stereotypes." – Nancy Pelosi
  6. "There's something so special about a woman who dominates in a man's world. It takes a certain grace, strength, intelligence, fearlessness, and the nerve to never take no for an answer." – Rihanna
  7. "Women need a seat at the table, they need an invitation to be seated there, and in some cases, where this is not available, they need to create their own table. We need a global understanding that we cannot implement change effectively without women's political participation." – Meghan Markle
  8. "It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent." – Madeleine Albright
  9. "I don't think about beauty. I wake up and I want to be a smarter person, that's my focus. ... I'm encouraging certainly my girls that if they can make their inside and who they are really, really stunning then everything falls together." – Angelina Jolie
  10. "We need women at all levels, including the top, to change the dynamic, reshape the conversation, to make sure women's voices are heard and heeded, not overlooked and ignored." – Sheryl Sandberg