Jakarta, March 4 (IANS): Hundreds of women took to the streets of this Indonesian capital on Saturday to rally for equal rights ahead of International Women's Day.

Participants gathered in central Jakarta before marching towards the State Palace, Efe news reported.

Many were dressed in the pink and purple theme colours of this year's event, and carried protest signs endorsing equal gender rights with slogans such as, "Fight like a girl" and "Harassment is never a compliment".

Organisers said they hoped the event would help to "remove the shackles of orthodoxy" placed on women in Indonesia.

Among their eight key demands, activists called for an end to violence against women, increased female representation in politics and for discrimination against the LGBT -- lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender -- community to stop.

While their demands were serious, there was an upbeat atmosphere at the rally, which culminated in poetry recitals, music and dance performances near the State Palace.

The event, initiated by 33 different women's rights organisations, was held to commemorate International Women's Day, which falls on March 8.