Pope Francis is urging people to think about the plight of women who are "slaves of the arrogance of the powerful" as well as children forced to do "inhumane" work.
The pontiff expressed hope that women who suffer violence at the hands of men will find justice and freedom from humiliation.
In remarks to tourists and pilgrims in St Peter's Square on Monday, Francis lamented that some women "are obliged to surrender in body and spirit to the covetousness of men".
Last week, Francis comforted several women, Italian and foreign, in a Rome safe-house after they were freed from human traffickers who forced them into prostitution.
In his remarks Monday, a Catholic holiday in honour of Mary, Francis prayed that suffering women soon have a "life of peace, justice, love".
