Berlin, March 9 : Multiple European leaders spoke in favour of gender equality on International Women's Day, which is marked annually on March 8. In Germany, Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for women to have equal rights "in all areas of life, whether at work, in the family, or in politics", reports Xinhua news agency. Meanwhile, Italy's first-ever female Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that it was the country's "duty to knock down the hurdles that do not allow all women to be able to express their priceless potential to the full". Pedro Sanchez, Prime Minister of Spain, underlined that his government promotes "laws in favour of true and effective equality between men and women". On Tuesday, Spain passed a parity law requiring that women and men each make up at least 40 per cent of boards of directors at major companies, as well as in the government's cabinet. In France, social media sites paid homage to many of the country's best-known female icons. President Emmanuel Macron took the opportunity to praise the writer and activist Gisele Halimi, nearly two years after her death at the age of 93. "Our republic is freer, livelier, and fairer thanks to you," he wrote. However, the day was also marked by protests in some countries. In Italy, demonstrations in Rome emphasized the rising number of femicides in the country, with protesters calling on police to do more to protect women. Protesters in Germany called on the country's government to do more to advocate for women's rights in the developing world. Meanwhile rallies in Spain focused on issues from consent to education and transexual rights. /IANS