Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres' video message for International Women's Day, observed on 8 March:

António Guterres, UN Secretary-General: Women's rights are human rights. And investing in women and girls is one of the surest ways to make the world a better place.

Michelle Yeoh, UN Development Programme (UNDP) Goodwill Ambassador: When women are involved in negotiating peace, agreements last longer.

Muniba Mazari, UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Advocate: Women in tech make digital tools more inclusive.

Dia Mirza, UN SDG Advocate and UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Goodwill Ambassador: Women in Government are more likely to pass climate friendly policies.

Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy-Secretary-General: When women have access to decent jobs and fairer workplaces, our economies grow.

Muzoon Almellehan, UN Children's Programme (UNICEF) Goodwill Ambassador: And educating girls can unlock the brain power we need to tackle every challenge on Earth.

Angélique Kidjo, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador: Girls can do anything, and they deserve the chance.

Sima Bahous, UN-Women Executive Director: We need rights, equality and empowerment for all women and girls.

Michelle Yeoh, UNDP Goodwill Ambassador: And we need women everywhere to be free from violence and fear.

Marta Vieira da Silva, UN-Women Goodwill Ambassador: In sports.

Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs: In politics.

Maj. Nesrine Somai, UN Peacekeeper: In peace and peacemaking.

Frida Amani, UNEP Advocate: In healthcare.

Angélique Kidjo, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador: In science.

Dia Mirza, UN SDG Advocate and UNEP Goodwill Ambassador: And in the stories we tell on screen. 

Frida Amani, UNEP Advocate: Just look at the young women leading the climate movement across the globe.

Angélique Kidjo, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador: Women and girls  are claiming their power.

Marta Vieira da Silva, UN-Women Goodwill Ambassador: When we invest in women, in girls, life gets better for men and boys too.

Kaliya, UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Honorary Ambassador, Kazakhstan: Life gets better for people with disabilities.

Muzoon Almellehan, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador: For care workers.

Dia Mirza, UN SDG Advocate and UNEP Goodwill Ambassador: For the planet.

Frida Amani, UNEP Advocate: For children.

Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy-Secretary-General: For parents.

Angélique Kidjo, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador: For justice.

Kaliya, UNFPA Honorary Ambassador, Kazakhstan: For me. 

Victoria Fernandez, UN staff member: For me.

Michelle Yeoh, UNDP Goodwill Ambassador: For me.

Angélique Kidjo, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador: For me. 

Sima Bahous, UN-Women Executive Director: And for me too.

ALL: For me.

António Guterres, UN Secretary-General: Women and girls are changing the world. It's time to change the world for women and girls.