International Women’s Day observed with rallies and a women’s strike in the U.S.

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) — More than 50 countries around the globe had events to observe International Women’s Day.

It’s been a day for marches, demonstrations and even a day off for some American women who said they would participate in a strike to demonstrate the vital and essential roles they play in sustaining the U.S. economy.

Women raising their voices from Washington D.C. to City Hall in San Francisco.

Under the banner of International women’s Day millions of women rallied or marched in one protest, smashing a symbolic glass ceiling, plus a formal nod to the day at the United Nations in New York.

As part of the observance, organizers of the women’s march in Washington called for a strike, dubbing this "A Day Without Women."

The protest encourages women to take a day off from work, paid or unpaid, and to avoid buying anything online or in stores as a means of illustrating the economic power of American women.