As Chair of the all-party parliamentary group on women in Parliament, she highlights the importance of ensuring that the Government implements section 106 of the Equality Act to require parties to publish data on candidate diversity. She advocates for focusing House communications on positive changes made due to new codes and grievance processes, embedding social media training for Members, and increasing public engagement to encourage women's participation in democracy.

Disagreements are common in the House, but issues like gender equality can unite Members. International Women's Day is crucial for reflecting on progress made and highlighting remaining challenges such as the persistent gender pay gap, workplace discrimination, misogynistic abuse, violence against women and girls, and healthcare disparities. The impact of the covid-19 pandemic disproportionately affected women, potentially reversing decades of progress towards gender equality. The need to address these inequalities remains urgent, and there is a call for collective action to ensure an equal recovery from the pandemic with women at its heart. Initiatives like those in Coventry celebrate inspiring women and their achievements.

Celebrates female entrepreneurship, highlighting young women's efforts to push boundaries and break down barriers, such as Thuria Wenbar, CEO of e-Pharmacy, launching menopause products. Acknowledges the work on menopause by colleagues like Carolyn Harris and Maria Caulfield, looking forward to the female health strategy and online safety legislation for better protection against online harms. Recognises the impact of war in Ukraine on women, mentioning Yaroslava Antipina's daily diary about her life during wartime, emphasising the stark contrast between life here and there regarding basic freedoms and necessities.

Saxby focused on highlighting successful women in North Devon to encourage more women to step into public life. She discussed the issue of violence against women and girls, addressing misogyny and the need for better support systems while acknowledging the challenges faced by women entering politics.

She thanked the Speaker’s Office for making time to honour victims of femicide. She mentioned several victims killed since last year including Karen McClean, Stacey Knell and others. She emphasised that better mental health services, offender management and specialist victim support could have saved their lives.

The hon. Member for Eastbourne paid tribute to the work of Jess Phillips and praised her role in raising awareness about femicide. She highlighted some remarkable women from her constituency, such as Dorit Oliver-Wolff, Laura Murphy, Lucy Butt and Hollin Preston, who have made significant contributions to their community.

The hon. Member for East Surrey highlighted the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields, using historical examples like Ada Lovelace and Agnes Pockels to illustrate past barriers faced by women in science and technology. She called for more support to encourage girls into advanced mathematical courses and stressed the importance of breaking bias to ensure equality in future generations.

Ms. Fellows emphasised the persistent economic, social and political inequalities faced by women today in the UK and globally, highlighting intersectional issues affecting disabled and non-white women. She cited a 2020 report defining intersectionality as understanding how multiple identities like gender, race, and class interact to create complex systems of oppression and power. Ms. Fellows noted that an estimated 19% of women over 18 have disabilities compared with 12% of men. Women, especially disabled ones, face significant biases in the workplace due to their caregiving responsibilities. She called for urgent reforms such as flexible working rights from day one and a comprehensive overhaul of the statutory sick pay system. Additionally, she stressed the need for early prevention strategies like Scotland’s 'Equally Safe' programme against gender-based violence, which disproportionately affects disabled women at twice the rate of other women. Ms. Fellows also made a plea to allow Ukrainian refugees, particularly women and girls, to cross borders without delay.

Mr Jenkin argued that the debate should celebrate the re-empowerment of women, citing evidence that violence against women is predominantly committed by men. He highlighted concerns over 'biological male' individuals committing rape while presenting as female, referencing the Crown Prosecution Service's report on rape cases. He emphasised the need for clarity in defining what constitutes a man and a woman within legislation and criticised some MPs for their inability to provide clear definitions when questioned about it. Mr Jenkin also called for the Government to challenge the Scottish Parliament’s proposed Gender Recognition Reform Bill, arguing that it would undermine women-only safe spaces.

Ms Dodds intervened to question Mr Jenkin's evidence and asked for a transcript of her previous comments where she could not find any instance of her being unclear about what constitutes a woman. She clarified that the Labour party supports single-sex spaces under the Equality Act.

Ms Miller supported Mr Jenkin's speech but noted that organisations such as Women’s Aid and Refuge have been ensuring safety in women-only spaces for over a decade through risk assessments of everyone who uses these services, regardless of gender identity.

Ms Cherry agreed with the need for clarity but also emphasised that there has been confusion about the extent to which single-sex services can be provided under the Equality Act. She welcomed planned updated guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Ms Hobhouse questioned whether concerns over predatory men using loopholes should override protections for vulnerable individuals within the transgender community, highlighting the importance of safeguarding those most at risk.

Ms. Osborne highlighted the struggles faced by working class women in her constituency over the last 90 years, drawing parallels between unemployment issues of the 1930s and current challenges exacerbated by the pandemic. She criticised government policies for failing to address existing inequalities and emphasised the disproportionate impact on marginalised women. Ms. Osborne also mentioned the need to implement policies such as closing the gender pay gap by 2030, ensuring workplaces have a menopause policy, and providing paid leave for survivors of domestic abuse.

Ms. Hunt congratulated her right hon. Friend on securing the debate and thanked her for support since being elected in 2019. She added the case of Angel Lynn from Loughborough who suffered life-changing injuries at age 19, highlighting the issue of violence against women.

Asked if Diana R. Johnson would join her in encouraging the Government to look properly at how contraception is commissioned due to under-commissioning issues.

Agreed with Diana R. Johnson and welcomed the fact that Wales will continue telemedicine for early medical abortions, questioned why England is ending this arrangement.

Expressed concern about the message sent by the Government's decision to end telemedicine for early medical abortions, suggesting it indicates a lack of trust in women’s ability to make decisions about their own reproductive health.

Ms Edwards thanked the right hon. Friend for securing the debate and reflected on the impact of Putin's war in Ukraine, mentioning the ongoing case of her constituent Clair Abelwhite. She celebrated female entrepreneurs, highlighting that 140,000 women started their own businesses last year but only 1% of venture capital goes to female entrepreneurs. She introduced two Rushcliffe-based women, Sarah King and Claire Dunn from 'we are radikl', who aim to increase investment access for female entrepreneurs through three main asks: extending the timeframe for securing SEIS investment, introducing gender/race/ethnicity reporting in SEIS, and providing more support for early-stage women entrepreneurs.

Ms Oppong-Asare focused on the international aspect of International Women's Day by highlighting the plight of women in Ukraine and Afghanistan, urging for practical support including aid that includes sanitary products. She also raised Valerie’s law to introduce mandatory cultural competency training for police dealing with black victims of domestic violence. Additionally, she discussed the importance of flexible working post-pandemic and highlighted the need for better online safety measures for female candidates. Ms Oppong-Asare concluded by recognising local women activists in her constituency.

The speaker reflects on the situation in Ukraine, paying homage to women who are victims of war and emphasising the need for safe havens for refugees. She highlights the importance of reviewing outdated abortion laws and calls for a distinction between sex and gender rights. She also discusses the inadequacies of the current criminal justice system regarding women, including issues with prison remands for personal protection, female offender strategies, and victim support in cases of sexual violence. She concludes by calling out societal norms that blame victims and underreport crimes based on socio-economic background.

She celebrates being a woman and an MP, but also highlights issues such as pay gaps, glass ceilings, reproductive rights, and the menopause. She praises Labour's structural changes for women’s empowerment and calls for continued support for women in various fields.

He speaks about his daughter dressed as a female engineer for World Book Day to highlight gender equality. He discusses the issue of harassment, feeling unsafe, and the need for more resources to tackle violence against women and girls. He also mentions the importance of tackling childcare issues that disproportionately affect women.

She begins by noting the persistence of gender inequalities and highlights how the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these issues, particularly in terms of job vulnerability. She points out that women's jobs were nearly twice as likely to be vulnerable during the initial months of the pandemic according to McKinsey. She discusses the disproportionate impact on Ukrainian women due to war, highlighting their roles as caregivers and the delays in processing refugee applications by the Home Office. She mentions Chwarae Teg’s findings about gender equality in Wales, noting that caring responsibilities disproportionately affect economically inactive women. She advocates for expanding free childcare and improving political representation of women through Senedd reform, including introducing a proportional voting system and legal gender quotas. She also calls for devolving justice to Wales to address structural inequalities like gender-based violence, stressing the need for community alternatives to prison and an end to incarceration obsession.

Kruger acknowledges the disquieting accounts of abuse heard in the debate and speaks about the economic challenges women face, noting that while legal rights have improved, there is still much to be done. He emphasises the importance of a more balanced economy where work can mix with family duties and community service better for everyone's benefit. He expresses regret over the suggestion that discussing biological differences between men and women is not appropriate during International Women’s Day. He highlights concerns about modern 'witch hunts' targeting those who believe in biological differences, mentioning an interim report on young teenage girls presenting as trans. Kruger warns against confusing adolescents at a vulnerable time with such concepts. He also expresses concern over male adults accessing female-only spaces and calls for legal recognition of what constitutes a woman biologically.

Ms Cherry congratulates the right hon. Member for Basingstoke on securing this debate and acknowledges the contributions of other hon. Members, particularly her hon. Friend the Member for Motherwell and Wishaw. She highlights the plight of Ukrainian women refugees during International Women's Day and emphasises the importance of discussing sex-based violence rather than gender-based violence. Ms Cherry also stresses the need to protect sex-based rights in law and challenges the conflation of sex and gender. She cites legal cases that affirm protections for biological females under the Equality Act 2010. Additionally, she mentions successes such as Maya Forstater’s Employment Appeal Tribunal ruling and the LGB Alliance's charity status. Ms Cherry calls on the Minister to support the Equality and Human Rights Commission in providing guidance on protected characteristics and single-sex services.

Congratulates the Member for Basingstoke on securing the debate, highlights sexual violence in Ukraine and its historical context as a weapon of war. Discusses the UK's progress under the Government to end sexual violence in conflict through initiatives like the integrated review and G7 communiqué. Urges co-ordinated international approach to evidence collection and prosecution.

Celebrates trailblazers for women's rights, criticises the slow progress of closing gender pay gaps. Advocates for urgent action to address pay inequality and increase women's representation in senior roles. Critiques organisations that fail to close the gender pay gap and support asylum seekers, especially from Ukraine. Emphasises the need for a feminism that represents all women regardless of class, nationality or race.

Today we stand in solidarity with the women of Ukraine. Women are often the most vulnerable and victims of war; globally, an estimated 736 million women have experienced sexual violence, more than 80,000 were murdered by a close relation, and 60 million girls face sexual assault on their way to school annually. Misogyny is deeply ingrained in our culture and affects all settings from schools to nightclubs to the courts. The Government’s end-to-end rape review highlighted failures of the criminal justice system, with less than 2% of rape cases ending in conviction last year. Misogyny should be recognised as a hate crime to ensure progress on this issue.

It is a privilege to close the debate for my party. Found it difficult to know what I wanted to say given the current situation in Ukraine and the overall deflationary sentiment from last year's similar concerns.

It is a pleasure to speak in this debate as we celebrate International Women's Day. The speaker acknowledges the contributions of women across various fields and highlights the importance of celebrating their achievements while also addressing the challenges faced by many, particularly in conflict zones like Afghanistan and Ukraine. She emphasises the issue of violence against women in the UK and calls for urgent action to address it, including introducing Labour’s Green Paper measures such as specialist rape units in every police force area, minimum sentences for rape, making misogyny a hate crime, and implementing a perpetrators strategy. The speaker also addresses issues related to women's health, highlighting delays in healthcare appointments and service cuts due to funding constraints. She calls for action to improve access to mental health services and address the gender pay gap. Anneliese Dodds also emphasises the importance of supporting women in business and promoting family-friendly employment rights.

Commends the work of Mr Speaker and Madam Deputy Speaker in supporting women parliamentarians. Acknowledges the need to encourage more women to enter politics, reflecting on her own four daughters who are not interested in a career in politics. Thanks the Member for Basingstoke and other speakers for their contributions. Supports the UK's role in condemning Russian attacks during the Ukrainian conflict, focusing on gender-based violence and its impact on women and children. Emphasises the Government’s commitment to ending violence against women and girls through initiatives such as the £67.5 million “What Works to Prevent Violence: Impact at Scale” programme and ratifying the International Labour Organisation's violence and harassment convention. Praises various women in transport, health, and education sectors for their contributions. Discusses economic empowerment for women post-pandemic, highlighting efforts to eliminate pay inequalities and improve access to abortion services through telemedicine. Acknowledges calls to extend telemedicine for abortion services beyond August 2023.

Asks the Minister about extending telemedicine for abortion services beyond August this year, highlighting concerns over the decision against expert advice.

Supports the call to extend telemedicine for abortion services and criticises the Government's decision based on individual conscience issues of some Ministers, indicating this is not the will of the House.

Encourages the Chief Whip to consult Members regarding their views on extending the telemedicine service for abortion.

Thanked Members across the House for their participation and highlighted the importance of increasing women representation in Parliament. She also mentioned supporting women in war-affected areas.

Raised a point of order regarding comments made by Anneliese Dodds on Woman's Hour, questioning her definition of 'woman' as unclear.

Acknowledged the points raised and stated that there is a difference of opinion which the Chair cannot adjudicate upon.

Responded to Bernard Jenkin's point of order, clarifying her previous statements on defining 'woman' under legal and biological contexts as per the Equality Act.