Ms Onwurah supported the Secretary of State's celebration of Ada Lovelace but emphasised the need to recognise and celebrate the contributions of women in STEM fields.

Mrs Miller expressed concern about the lack of sculptures and statues celebrating women, suggesting that more constituencies should follow suit with recognising local heroines such as Jane Austen.

Mr Doughty agreed with Mrs Miller's point about celebrating women's achievements, highlighting Betty Campbell, the first black female headteacher in south Wales as an example of a notable figure deserving recognition.

Mr Shannon praised his mother as an inspirational woman and suggested that the Queen could serve as an example of what we should aspire to, reflecting on her life of duty and service.

Ms Farris highlighted significant progress in women's representation in public life over the past five years, noting a 49% increase in the number of women in Parliament since 2015.

Ms Phillips acknowledged Ms Truss' speech and briefly mentioned her work commemorating women killed by male partners, though she did not elaborate further on this point.

Ms Aiken agreed with the Secretary of State about empowering boys to be feminists and stressed that both her daughter and son are taught that girls can be equally as good or better in sports like football and cricket.

Ms Johnson questioned the Government's actions to protect women human rights activists around the world, emphasising that these women face gender-based discrimination.

Mrs Latham suggested preventing underage marriage as a measure to ensure girls can have 12 years of education and pursue their opportunities fully, both domestically and internationally.

Acknowledges progress in Parliament but highlights the ongoing structural barriers for women across society. She calls for a workplace revolution with measures such as eradicating gender pay gap, ending zero-hours contracts, extending maternity and paternity leave benefits, protecting pregnant workers and those undergoing menopause, requiring employers to devise action plans to close gender pay gaps, and ensuring intersectional discrimination is recognised under the law.

The hon. Member acknowledged the progress made in various areas, such as the introduction of stalking protection orders and upskirting legislation, but also noted setbacks like the delay in passing the Domestic Abuse Bill due to the previous election. She stressed the importance of addressing intersectionality issues and called for annual reviews on the gender pay gap.

Asked the right hon. Lady to support linking the Government's domestic abuse strategy with their female offender strategy, ensuring that women who end up in penal systems as a result of being victims of abuse have their needs addressed properly.

Agreed with everything mentioned by Caroline Nokes and proposed working together to use the forthcoming employment Bill to introduce new laws that would narrow the gender pay gap, emphasising the need for tougher regulations despite it being illegal.

She discusses the importance of celebrating all women, including those who face barriers due to race, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, income and age. Anne mentions her personal journey in understanding gender barriers and calls for more female participation in politics through training and support from male allies. She also asks the Government to ratify the Istanbul convention and improve interpretation services for non-English speaking constituents.

Intervened by praising Anne McLaughlin as an 'international woman', acknowledging her contributions to the debate on International Women's Day.

She supports the argument made by Anne McLaughlin, encouraging women to have the courage to try and fail without fear of being held back. Liz emphasises the need for fairness towards oneself and others in order to encourage more participation from women.

He thanks Anne McLaughlin for her passionate speech about Malawi, where he also spent time with women's organisations tackling HIV/AIDS. Stephen highlights the gendered impact of HIV/AIDS on women aged 15-49 worldwide and agrees that efforts through aid budgets are crucial to combat this issue.

Welcomed the opportunity to debate International Women’s Day in Government time, acknowledging its importance. Highlighted achievements of women including record numbers in work and Parliament, as well as university graduates with best degrees. Emphasised local contributions from Diane Taylor, Catherine Waters-Clark, and Olivia Pinkney. Advocated for parliamentary scrutiny of Government policy on gender equality. Urged more coherent programming for International Women’s Week events to demonstrate the significant commitment of Parliament to women's rights. Identified three challenges: lack of flexible working opportunities, discrimination against pregnant or new mums, and sexual harassment at work covered up by NDAs. Proposed reshaping jobs and workplaces around modern needs rather than outdated models. Discussed digital abuse, including online harms White Paper, and the need for comprehensive legislation to combat sexual abuse images. Called for more women in Parliament, addressing challenges such as caring responsibilities and the appeal of the parliamentary workplace.

Reads out the names of women who have been murdered by men since last year. Acknowledges an increase in the number due to recent statistics provided by Karen Ingala Smith's The Femicide Census project. Highlights the need for a greater governmental response akin to that seen during terrorism or pandemics, and underlines the emotional toll on victims feeling their lives are worth less.

Supports Jess Phillips' speech, recognising the personal impact of these murders in communities. Mentions her own connection to Helen Almey, one of those on the list, emphasising that victims are not just statistics but real people with lives and relationships.

Celebrated the contributions of historical women and current leaders in Derbyshire, emphasising their impact on various industries and education. Addressed issues such as gender pay gaps and opportunities for young girls.

In her maiden speech, Apsana Begum paid tribute to the rich history of women's struggles for social justice in Poplar and Limehouse, emphasising the legacy of figures like George Lansbury and Sylvia Pankhurst. She highlighted the importance of community solidarity and action against racism, Islamophobia, and antisemitism, expressing her commitment to fighting these issues. Begum also criticised the Conservative government’s austerity measures that have disproportionately affected ethnic minorities and low-income residents in Poplar and Limehouse, leading to high rates of child poverty and insufficient wages.

Congratulated the hon. Member for Poplar and Limehouse on her maiden speech, highlighted a recent visit to Langney Primary School in Eastbourne where children were dressed up as future career aspirations including public services roles, noted significant progress made towards women's equality over time but acknowledged that more work remains due to persistent pay gaps and lack of female political representation globally.

Discussed the issue of misogyny in various forms, from everyday sexism to blatant acts that undermine women's rights, emphasised the need for continuous effort to tackle it despite advances made in female representation and employment. Critiqued social media as a hotbed for vitriol against women, but also noted positive developments such as communities supporting victims of online abuse.

Ms Doyle-Price highlighted the issue of discrimination against women in modern society, citing personal experiences with online harassment due to her gender. She discussed health issues affecting women, such as endometriosis and fibroids, emphasising that these conditions often receive insufficient attention and research compared to similar male conditions. She also touched on sexual violence within domestic abuse contexts and the need for more collective action to empower young women. She criticised the current debate around trans rights and gender dysphoria, expressing concern about unsupervised transgender interventions for younger individuals at the Tavistock clinic.

Argued that misogyny and societal norms contribute to women's poverty. Emphasised the undervaluation of care work, highlighting issues such as underpaid care workers and precarious working conditions in social care. Critiqued recent immigration proposals for worsening the situation in the care sector. Advocated for economic priorities shifting towards people's wellbeing, parity of pay between social care and healthcare staff, and welfare reform.

Ms Drummond highlighted the importance of addressing severe challenges faced by women globally, emphasising the critical role of education. She cited World Bank statistics indicating that nearly a quarter of girls worldwide do not complete secondary education and noted that if all mothers completed primary education, more than 200,000 maternal deaths could be prevented annually. She also mentioned that with full secondary education for women, infant mortality would decrease by 50%, saving three million lives. Ms Drummond discussed the socioeconomic benefits of educating girls, noting that children whose mothers can read are twice as likely to attend school themselves. She praised UK funding aimed at improving women’s rights and health through education and acknowledged the role of educated women in peacebuilding efforts.

Praised hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Yardley; celebrated politicians and activists fighting for women’s rights in Northern Ireland, mentioning particularly her hon. Friend Stella Creasy; highlighted difficulties faced by women MPs including threats and harassment; cited Hillary Clinton's phrase ‘human rights are women’s rights’; raised cases of Saudi Arabian right-to-drive campaigners, Iranian human rights defender Nasrin Sotoudeh, Honduran journalist Dina Meza, and Mexican activist Rosalinda Dionicio; urged the Government to support these women by calling for their release and protecting them.

Paid tribute to the hon. Member for Poplar and Limehouse, highlighting the Domestic Abuse Bill as a missed opportunity to ratify the Istanbul convention. Emphasised that violence against women is gender-based and requires state intervention. Criticised the Government's delay in addressing migrant women’s access to emergency protection. Questioned whether services for migrant women would prevent ratification and highlighted international comparisons with other EU countries. Discussed global statistics on violence against women, including human trafficking and labour inequality. Advocated for women's right to organise themselves based on their sex without fear of censorship or harassment. Raised concerns about the targeting of feminist academics and politicians for expressing views on gender ideology. Called for an end to no-platforming and silencing of feminists asserting women’s rights.

Highlighted the harm caused by policies that deny access to public funds based on immigration status, focusing particularly on women's vulnerability and risk of violence and abuse. Emphasised the need for survivors of domestic abuse, regardless of their immigration status, to have full and equal access to public funds.

Discussed her personal experience with fertility issues and raising a child after IVF treatment. Raised concerns about the pressures women face regarding fertility, pregnancy, and motherhood, including societal expectations and work-life balance challenges. Called for better protections for new parents in terms of breastfeeding support, paternity leave legislation, and egg freezing policies.

Ms Thewliss thanked women who have influenced her life, including her mother and grandmother. She discussed issues like the two-child limit in welfare benefits, IVF support at work, and access to education for women. She highlighted specific cases of women facing difficulties due to government policies, such as those with no recourse to public funds or who face immigration challenges. She also mentioned the disproportionate impact of drugs on women and the need for support through recovery communities.

Ms Phillips intervened to echo Ms Thewliss's demands on the Government, stressing the importance of seeing drug-addicted individuals not in isolation but as part of a broader community that needs support. She agreed with Ms Thewliss about the burden and pain women often face when dealing with family members who have drug addictions.

It is an honour to follow the hon. Member for Glasgow Central (Alison Thewliss), who made a passionate speech. This is the first time I have closed a debate, and it is an honour to close this debate in particular, because women and the issue of women’s inequality have shaped my life. The room is full of emotion, and it is a privilege to be here. I thank the Government for holding this debate in their time. It is usually a Backbench Business debate, but it is right that this forms part of the mainstream business of the House and that we recognise the contribution of women internationally, nationally and closer to home in our constituencies. The former Minister for Immigration, the right hon. Member for Romsey and Southampton North (Caroline Nokes), talked about intersectionality and highlighted her efforts to end FGM, for which I thank her. It is really important to remember the issues that affect our shores. It was horrifying to hear that somebody described FGM as just a piece of flesh being cut. I would like to extend an advance “happy birthday” to the hon. Member for Glasgow North East (Anne McLaughlin) for Sunday, which is also International Women’s Day. I admire her outfit, which has come all the way from Malawi, and thank her for sharing that with us. I thank the right hon. Member for Basingstoke (Mrs Miller) for all she has done. I congratulate the right hon. Member for Romsey and Southampton North on her appointment as Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee—she has a big set of shoes to fill, following the work done in the last five years, for which Members on both sides of the House are grateful. In the Tea Room earlier, I asked my Labour sister, my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Yardley (Jess Phillips), how many tears I would have to hold back when she reads the names of the women we have lost in the last year. It never fails to move people here and beyond. I thank her and Karen for compiling that list, because I cannot begin to imagine what a task that is. It is right that that has become a tradition in the House, and I am grateful for it.

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Poplar and Limehouse (Apsana Begum) on her maiden speech. I have learnt a lot more about Poplar and Limehouse—I was not aware that “Call the Midwife” had been filmed there. She is a credit to the people of Poplar and Limehouse, and I am sure that this is the beginning of a long and successful voice here in the House for her constituents. As a fellow Muslim woman, I also congratulate her on being the first woman in a hijab to represent her constituency in this great House. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Canterbury (Rosie Duffield) for her passionate speech. The last time I heard her speak, equally passionately, it was about her own experiences of domestic violence, when we discussed the Domestic Abuse Bill; I recall that like it was yesterday. I do not know about anybody else, but the idea of wearing a onesie made of meat going into a piranha tank is cringeworthy and not something I would like to imagine! But I recognise that that is the case for women in politics, as a woman and a shadow Minister who is often abused on social media and feels like the person wearing that onesie in a piranha tank. That is our reality in politics.

As the right hon. Member for Romsey and Southampton North said, we have lost a great deal of good women from this House. I thank her for honouring them; we must do so during this debate. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Edmonton (Kate Osamor) for her passionate speech about the issue of having no recourse to public funds. I attended the inaugural meeting of that all-party parliamentary group, for which I was grateful. I heard at first hand the experiences of those young people, including the one she mentioned, who talked about the impact that the 10-year route to immigration has on a child. As a mother to a teenager, I cannot imagine a 15-year-old having the anxiety of thinking about doing something that will give her a criminal record and put her on the next plane back to where she came from, instead of doing her GCSEs and just being a young person going through life, as our children and every child should be able to. I learnt a great deal from that, and I thank her.

To turn again to the hon. Member for Glasgow Central, it is always heart wrenching when we mention personal stories. I have done it in this House, as have many others, and no matter how much practice we put in, it does choke us up. It takes extra bravery and it really does take it out of us. I thank her for sharing that story, which was so personal to her. As the shadow Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Brent Central (Dawn Butler) said in her speech, there is an issue about structures in government and in society that we really need to address. The Labour party is a party of equality, committed to achieving a world free from all forms of bigotry and discrimination. Whether campaigning on the streets or passing legislation in government, Labour is the only party consistently to stand with women.

I was proud to march with Samira Ahmed at her tribunal case against the BBC, because when women do the same work as men, why should we be paid any less? That is why a Labour Government would take action to close the gender pay gap by 2030. Our call for equal pay would not just be warm words; we would legislate by making gender pay equality the state’s responsibility. Women also face life challenges in the workplace, which is why Labour has campaigned and will continue campaigning for flexible working hours, working from home and the introduction of a menopause workplace policy to break the stigma associated with the menopause.

As I speak about the importance of the legislative change that we need to make to improve the lives of women in this country, I do not just say it—I genuinely mean it. There was a time when my life was defined by black bin liners, because that is how I used to move home. I was the daughter of a victim of domestic abuse who served 14 years in prison, and she went to prison because she could no longer handle the abuse and killed the partner who abused her. That was where my real journey into politics started—when I raised my brother and sister, who were teenagers, while moving from home to home.

My standing here today to make a closing statement on International Women’s Day tells us—this is the message that it really brings home to me—that for my sisters and my daughters, and for women in this country and beyond, there is hope. However, we have made so much progress, but we have so much further to go. Despite all the progress, what I will not do once I have made it out of the struggles that I once faced is close the door on others. Neither will I pull up the ladder behind me when it comes to the fights that are still fought by women who look like me and believe like me.

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is “Each for Equal”. Therefore, today I also say that, although having women Prime Ministers, women in Cabinet and even over 50% of Labour MPs being women —and 51% in our parliamentary Labour party—is a huge achievement that must not be overlooked, the fight must go on, with women showing solidarity to all women, including those from BAME backgrounds. Although the Women and Equalities Committee published a report in 2015 highlighting the triple-whammy faced by women who were of colour and Muslim, the reality is that little has changed in that triple penalty of misogyny, xenophobia and Islamophobia faced by these women in their daily lives.

In fact, some women now feel their hijab should be removed for their personal safety, and others who choose to wear other garments have had the most powerful man in this country legitimise hate towards them by referring to their personal choices as making them look like letterboxes and bank robbers. I mention this because some women have become more acceptable to target than others, and that is why I say that all women should come together to stand and fight for those most marginalised. There is no hierarchy in misogyny. However, although I say all women must come together, this fight is not just for women to fight alone.

Like many women in this House and outside, I have been inspired to stand up for change and fight for equality because of the likes of Mary Wollstonecraft, Emmeline Pankhurst, Rosa Parks and Benazir Bhutto, as well as Oprah Winfrey in the modern day. For many across society, the women in this Chamber will be their inspiration. I could go on listing inspirational women leaders who have not only made a positive contribution to society, but have motivated, inspired and enlightened generations of women to do the same. But these women were and are inspirational not only for women but for men, too.

Let me say who also inspires me to stand up as a British Muslim woman. He is the man who in 1935 was honoured by the US Supreme Court as one of the greatest law-givers of the world. His name is Muhammed, and he is the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Despite what many may attribute or claim, he motivates and inspires—and he inspires me and empowers me to stand up as a British Muslim woman. He came to the world at a time when the most basic right to life of women was being denied, and in a matter of years he transformed a society that degraded, chastised and murdered women to one that empowered them with not only a right to life, but property rights, marital rights, inheritance rights, voting rights and democratic rights, and the rights of honour and of dignity and liberty.

I say that because, in 2020, International Women’s Day must not be an isolated occasion for only women to fight for women. I know there are stories of powerful fathers empowering their daughters, of husbands being the shoulders for their wives, and of sons being guided by the light of their mothers—and I cannot forget brothers, for my sons right now, my eight-year-old and 12-year-old, have to give up their space because my daughter is preparing for her GCSEs and doing her mock exams; they have to sacrifice and support her. We have to fight this fight together. Issues of women’s equality are as much a matter for men as for women, because we all have a moral obligation to tackle injustice.

Just as we do not have to be black to get racism, we do not have to be a woman to get misogyny and be a feminist. I know that the misogynists, xenophobes and Islamophobes will be lurking and waiting to attack another woman of colour for speaking out today, but I also know that standing by my side in this Chamber and outside, I will have the powerful shoulders of sisterhood. So I have decided, on this International Women’s Day: I will say it; we will say it; she will say it.

Acknowledges contributions from other Members and discusses progress on women’s rights, including the representation of women in Parliament, domestic violence legislation, the Istanbul convention, sexual harassment prevention, gender pay gap enforcement, and education for girls around the world. Emphasises Government initiatives to support carers, improve social care policies, and champion equality at international forums.

Intervenes to ask if equal pay should be a matter for the Government to enforce more effectively through the Equality and Human Rights Commission.