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Thousands of women have gone on strike across Spain, joining millions more across the globe demanding a gender-balanced world amid persistent salary gap, violence and widespread inequality.

Many female employees didn't show up to work Friday in offices and factories across Spain, while others halted domestic work or left caretaking of children, ill or elderly people to men to mark International Women's Day.

The two main labor unions had called for 2-hour work stoppages, but the March 8 Commission, which groups women's rights advocates, say the strike should last 24 hours.

Under the "1,000 reasons" slogan, rallies are scheduled for later Friday in dozens of Spanish cities including Madrid, where a massive protest was held last March.