00:01This boat race is not just any boat race.
00:06Rowing along the river Ubangi in the Central African Republic are 100% female teams.
00:13In Bangi, this year's International Women's Day is being celebrated differently
00:17with its all-women's canoe race.
00:21And the spectators go crazy for the women rowing at top strength.
00:26On the riverbanks, they welcome the winners with joy.
00:33You know, usually it's our husbands who race.
00:36But for this day, we said, why not us?
00:39We are also capable of doing what our husbands are doing.
00:42And we are proud of it.
00:44I'm very happy that Bokasi, my village, managed to place first.
00:49These women knew that they needed to do something different
00:52from the traditional marches for International Women's Day.
00:56For the UN Women's Representative for the Central African Republic,
01:00the canoe race initiative showed all the commitment of women.
01:04I'm proud that I took part in this race.
01:06I saw the bravery of Central African women.
01:09They were valiant.
01:10They were determined and committed.
01:12And this is what the 8th of March is about.
01:14It's a day to celebrate the victories of women, the commitment of women,
01:18and they showed that this afternoon.
01:19So, congratulations to the Central African Republic, which won.
01:23And congratulations to the women and girls of the Central African Republic.
01:27And justice, rights and action for all women and girls.
01:32Thousands of spectators, among the many men, rose to the call to support the initiative.
01:37For Bongi's female mayor, it was nothing short of a complete success.
01:44See, women's rights.
01:46When women decide that they want to do something, they always succeed.
01:49You can see it here.
01:51We gave ourselves this challenge, and you can see that we were up to the task.
01:57This year's theme was rights, autonomy and a chance for all displaced women and girls in the world.
02:04It's a theme that celebrates the political, cultural and economic accomplishments of women around the globe.
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