'Fearless girl' statue stares down Wall Street's iconic bull on International Women's Day

NEW YORK -- In anticipation of Wednesday's International Women's Day, a bronze statue of a defiant girl was placed directly in front of the iconic Wall Street charging bull.

The statue, installed by State Street Global Advisors, was meant to send a powerful message about gender diversity in the workplace.

The statue depicts a girl in a dress and sneakers, standing firmly with her hands on her hips, looking up with a proud expression.

It is part of a campaign the firm is kicking off to implore the 3,500 companies State Street works with to hire more female employees.

A spokesman for the company said, "She stands as a reminder ... that having more women in leadership positions can lead to increased performance and a stronger economy."