New York City marks International Women’s Day with march

NEW YORK (AP) – Men and women are gathering at the United Nations to mark International Women’s Day with a march to Times Square.

On Sunday, they’re joining voices around the world demanding equality for the gender that traditionally is paid less for work and often has a smaller voice in policy decisions.

U.N. officials say 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. But U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon says the gains have been too slow and uneven.

He says the most urgent issue is rape being used as a war weapon, from Nigeria and Somalia to Iraq and Syria.

Expected marchers include Chirlane McCray, wife of New York Mayor Bill de Blasio.