PHOTOBLOG: Celebrating International Women's Day

Source: Fri, 7 Mar 2014 12:30 PM

Author: Reuters photographers - Production editor

On March 8 activists around the globe celebrate International Women's Day, which dates back to the beginning of the 20th century and has been observed by the United Nations since 1975. It is an occasion to commemorate achievements in women's rights and to call for further change, the U.N. says.

Noor Zia, 40, poses for a photograph with her daughter Saba Ahmadi, 11, at their home in Kabul, Afghanistan February 13, 2014. Noor, who is a teacher, studied until she was 28. She wanted to become a doctor, but she couldn't afford the fees. She hopes her daughter will become a well-known, highly skilled doctor. Saba wants to go to university, and would like to become a renowned lawyer.
Kylie Glass, 40, and her daughter Abby Glass, 12, pose for a picture in Caringbah, Sydney, Australia February 18, 2014. Kylie finished school at age 17 and now has a job training childcarers. When she was growing up, Kylie wanted to work with children. She says she just wants her daughter to be healthy and happy. Abby says that she enjoys anything to do with science so might want to be a forensic policewoman or else do something completely different like become a hairdresser.
Susana Maria Cardona, 33, and her daughter Alejandra Ruby Cardona, 12, pose for a photograph inside their home in Tegucigalpa, Honduras February 20, 2014. Susana Maria, who is a housewife, finished school at 17. Her ambition was to become a lawyer and now she hopes that her daughter will become a doctor. Alejandra Ruby will finish education in 11 years and hopes to be an agronomist.
Manami Miyazaki (R), 39, and her daughter Nanaha, 13 and holding her alto saxophone, pose for a photograph at their home in Tokyo, Japan February 3, 2014. Manami, who is a housewife, studied until she was 20. Her ambition was to work somewhere where she could meet lots of people. She hopes that her daughter will build a loving home with a happy marriage. Manami says it would be great if her daughter could find work that makes use of her abilities and interests. Nanaha wants to be either a designer, musician or a nurse.
Sulochna Mohan Sawant, 23, poses with her five-year-old daughter Shamika Sawant inside their home in Mumbai, India February 13, 2014. Sulochna, who works as a maid, wanted to become a doctor when she was a child. However, she could only study until the age of 14. Sulochna wants her daughter to become a teacher, and Shamika shares her mother's dream.
Claire Coyne, 43, poses for a photograph with her daughter Ella, 10, at their home in Shepshed, central England February 1, 2014. Claire, an assistant banker at Coutts, studied until she was 15. Her ambition as a child was to be a Physical Education (P.E) teacher. She says that she doesn't mind what her daughter becomes, as long as she enjoys herself. Ella hasn't thought about when she will finish education yet, but says that she might like to go to university. She doesn't know what job she would like to do yet, but probably wants to be a dance teacher.
Tahsiye Ozyilmaz, 33, and her daughter Halime, 14, pose for a photograph at their home in Zeytinpinar Village of Derik, a Kurdish town in Mardin Province in Turkey February 1, 2014. Tahsiye, who is a housewife, didn't go to school. She says would have liked to become a teacher, but she had an arranged marriage at the age of 17. Now she would like her daughter to finish her education and become a doctor. Halime stopped going to school last year because it was 10 km (6 miles) from her house and the journey was too difficult. She says she would have liked to become a doctor, but now this is impossible. Halime says she thinks she will have an arranged marriage when she is 17 or 18, like her mother did.
Saciido Sheik Yacquub, 34, poses for a picture with her daughter Faadumo Subeer Mohamed, 13, at their home in Hodan district IDP camp in Mogadishu, Somalia, February 11, 2014. Saciido, who runs a small business, wanted to be a business woman when she was a child and studied until she was 20. She hopes that Faadumo will become a doctor. Faadumo will finish school in 2017 and hopes to be a doctor when she grows up.
Bidaa Mhem Thabet al-Hasan (Um Suleiman), 39, poses with her daughter Mariam Khaled Masto, 9, outside their home in Deir al-Zor, Syria February 23, 2014. Bidaa is the director of a school founded by a group of teachers and volunteers but her ambition was to become a gynaecologist. She hopes that her daughter will join the pharmacy school, but says that she will let her follow her own ambitions and that her success will make her happy. Mariam will complete her education in 13 years and she would like to become an Arabic teacher in Deir al-Zor.
Clare Barrett Butler, 37, and her daughter Lily Barrett McHugh, 11, pose for a photograph outside their house in a small hamlet near the village of Ardara in County Donegal February 27, 2014. Clare says she is a homemaker and a mother, and she is continuing her education with courses at college. As a child, Claire wanted to work on the special effects of movies or as a stuntwoman and that she would love her daughter Lily to follow her dreams and become a hairdresser. Lily says she thinks she'll stay in education until she is about 20, and she would really like to become a hairdresser.