Photo: UN News Center

(VOVworld)-The UN has called on the international community to further empower women, particularly rural women to improve societies. Addressing Wednesday’s UN meeting entitled "Empowering rural women-End hunger and Poverty" to mark International Women's Day (March 8), UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon acknowledged that women are increasingly exercising greater influence in society but there is a long way to go before they can be said to enjoy the fundamental rights, freedom and dignity that are their birthright and will guarantee their well-being. He said: “On this International Women’s Day, I urge governments, civil society and the private sector to commit to gender equality and the empowerment of women – as a fundamental human right and a force for the benefit of all. The energy, talent and strength of women and girls represent humankind’s most valuable untapped natural resource”.