Safety of women 'sacred duty of society as a whole': President

New Delhi: The rights of women to equal opportunities and a dignified life must be respected and the nation has a collective responsibility for creating the ecosystem to ensure their safety and dignity in society, President Pranab Mukherjee said on Monday.

In a message on the eve of International Women's Day, he thanked them for "their contributions over the years in the building of our nation".

"Women have always been given the highest level of respect in our country. Their protection and safety is a sacred duty of society as a whole. We must respect the right of women to equal opportunities and a dignified life.

"We have a collective responsibility to create an ecosystem that ensures the safety, security and dignity of women in society," Mukherjee said.

He said that on International Women's Day, we should redouble our efforts for achieving gender equity and empowerment of women. Let us strive to enable our women to realise their full potential and participate meaningfully in all aspects of our country's development, the President said.

International Women's Day is observed every year on March 8.