(VOVworld) - The proportion of women MPs in parliaments around the world has doubled in the past 20 years, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) said in a statement commemorating International Women Day on March 8^th. Women's average representation in parliament increased to 22.1 percent last year from 11.3 percent in 1995, when the Beijing Platform for Action on women's empowerment was adopted. North and South America have seen the largest rise in the proportion of women legislators, followed by Europe and Africa.

In Thailand, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha called on his people to promote women’s roles and give them more rights so that women will become a driver of change in Thailand.

In Cambodia, Prime Minister Hun Sen highlighted Cambodia’s progress in promoting women’s positions in socio-economic, political, and healthcare sectors over the past two decades.

Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi said his government will soon establish one-stop centers and hotlines to support girls and women. Modi pledged positive changes to Indian women’s lives, calling on people to end unequal treatment and discriminations against women in any form.