WASHINGTON, March 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama assured on Sunday his commitment to full equality for women as the world marks the International Women's Day.

    "We will not sow the seeds for a brighter future or reap the benefits of the change we need without the full and active participation of women around the world," Obama said in a statement.

    He acknowledged women's vital role in addressing global challenges such as climate change, poverty and conflict, and vowed that the United States "stands with people around the globe to reaffirm our commitment to the equality, freedom, achievements and advancement of women."

    Obama has been upholding women's equal rights since his presidential campaign which was supported by a majority of women voters in the country.

    His cabinet features a number of female politicians, including Hillary Rodham Clinton as State Secretary, Janet Napolitano as Homeland Security Secretary, Hilda Solis as Labor Secretary and Susan Rice as U.S. ambassador to the U.N., reaffirming women's role in the U.S. politics.

    "With or without awards or acknowledgment, women have taught us about hope, about courage, and about opportunity," Obama said.

    "The United States is filled with great hope that our daughters, and the daughters of all nations, will continue to serve as leaders in the pursuit of our collective well-being and have the opportunity to achieve their full potential," he noted.

    Earlier in the day, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also called in a statement for the full equality for women, saying that "ensuring the rights of women and girls is not only a matter of justice," but also "a matter of enhancing global peace, progress and prosperity for generations to come."

    She also noted that women still constitute most of the world's poor, unfed and unschooled, and they deserve to live free from violence and fear.

    "To create peaceful, thriving communities, women must be equal partners," she added.