More than 1,000 women and men were marching for gender equality in New York City today - as millions of people across the world rallied to demand change on International Women 's Day 2015 . Demonstrators gathered at the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan this morning to speak up for the gender that traditionally is paid less for work and often has a smaller voice in policy decisions . They then marched to Times Square as women and men in France , Turkey , Peru , India , Morocco , Brazil , China , and elsewhere also took to the streets of their respective nations to fight for equality . Scroll down for video . Demanding change : More than 1,000 women and men were marching for gender equality in New York City today ( pictured ) - as millions of people globally rallied to demand change on International Women 's Day 2015 . United : Demonstrators ( pictured ) gathered at the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan this morning to speak up for the gender that traditionally is paid less for work and often has a smaller voice in policy decisions . Fighting for equality : They then marched to Times Square as women and men in France , Turkey , Peru , India , Morocco , Brazil , China , and elsewhere also took to the streets of their respective nations to fight for equality . Trying to make a difference : Phumzile Mlambo , UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon ( second right ) and New York City first lady , Chirlane McCray ( far right ) were among those marking International Women 's Day today . Addressing the New York marchers , the city 's first lady , Chirlane McCray , 60 , a self-proclaimed feminist , declared : 'Today , you are marching in the footsteps of generations of feminists . ' She noted that International Women 's Day commemorates the day in 1908 when thousands of women marched through the city demanding shorter hours , better pay and voting rights . 'This march started more than a century ago , but we still have a long way to go before we get to equality , ' added Ms McCray , who is married to New York Mayor Bill de Blasio . UN officials today said much has been achieved under the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action , signed by 189 governments in 1995 as a pledge for realizing women 's rights . Speaking on behalf of women : Addressing the New York marchers , Ms McCray , 60 , a self-proclaimed feminist , declared : 'Today , you are marching in the footsteps of generations of feminists . ' Above , more demonstrators . Looking for banners : She noted that International Women 's Day commemorates the day in 1908 when thousands of women marched through the city demanding shorter hours , better pay and voting rights . Elsewhere : An activist , left , holds portrait of Wafae Charaf as protesters from the Moroccan Association of Human Rights shout slogans during a march through the streets of the Moroccan capital of Rabat today . Chanting : Women chant during an anti-government rally on International Women 's Day in Caracas , Venezuela . Getting their point across : Activists are pictured shouting slogans during a march towards the Malacanang Presidential palace as they mark International Women 's Day in Manila , Philippines , this afternoon . However , UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the gains have been too slow and uneven . He said the most urgent issue is rape being used as a war weapon , from Nigeria to Iraq and Syria . McCray pointed to universal prekindergarten , paid sick leave and other causes that her husband has emphasized as a mark of progress for women in New York City . In November , New York joined the UN 's Safe Global Cities Initiative , which works to combat sexual harassment and sexual violence in public places . March : Activists hold slogans while marching towards the Malacanang Presidential palace in the Philippines . Respectful : U.S. soldiers together with Afghans attend a ceremonyin Kandahar province , Afghanistan , today . Performers : Young Nepalese girls dressed traditional attire - including red tops and purple skirts - wait to perform a dance at an event to mark International Women 's Day at the Maiti Nepal in , Kathmandu , Nepal . A Moroccan pensioner shouts slogans as she holds a placard witch reads 'No discriminatory penal code ' during a march towards the street of the Moroccan capital ( left ) . Right , demonstrators in New Delhi , India . Throughout today , UN Women was posting photos of women and men marching for change in New York on social media . The theme for International Women 's Day 2015 was 'Make It Happen ' . To commemorate the day , Google displayed a new Doodle , featuring women in a range of professions , including an astronaut , a judge , a scientist and a painter . The first National Woman 's Day ( NWD ) was observed across the US on February 28 , 1909 .
millions people were marching for gender equality in New York today . They gathered at the UN headquarters , before marching to Times Square . Among Over 1,000 across world marking International Women 's Day 2015 . City 's first lady Chirlane McCray said : 'This march started more than a century ago , but we still have a long way to go before we get to equality '