- Global Protests: Women march worldwide demanding equality.
- Key Issues: Ending gender-based violence, equal pay, and reproductive rights.
- Turkey: Protests challenge government’s stance on women’s roles.
- Europe: Demonstrations across the continent focus on various inequalities.
- South America: Marches highlight femicides and demand justice.
Why Are Women Marching on International Women’s Day?
International Women’s Day has become a lightning rod for global grievances. This year, women are especially fired up about:
- Gender-Based Violence: The fight to end domestic abuse and sexual assault continues.
- Economic Inequality: Women are still fighting for equal pay and opportunities in the workplace.
- Reproductive Rights: Access to safe and legal abortion is a major battleground.
- Political Representation: Ensuring women have a voice in government.
Istanbul: ‘Family Will Not Bind Us!’
In Turkey, the government declared 2025 the ‘Year of the Family,’ but protesters are pushing back against the idea that women’s roles should be limited to marriage and motherhood. They carried powerful banners with slogans like “Family will not bind us to life” and “We will not be sacrificed to the family.”
Critics say the Turkish government hasn’t done enough to protect women’s rights. Turkey even withdrew from the Istanbul Convention, a European treaty designed to combat domestic violence.
Europe Erupts in Protest
Across Europe, women are demanding an end to being treated as second-class citizens. Here’s a snapshot of what’s happening:
- Poland: Activists opened an abortion center in Warsaw, a direct challenge to the country’s restrictive abortion laws.
- Madrid: Protesters highlighted the case of Gisele Pélicot, a symbol in the fight against sexual violence.
- Germany: The President warned against the rollback of progress on equality.
Africa Joins the Fight
In Lagos, Nigeria, thousands of women gathered at the Mobolaji Johnson Stadium, celebrating their womanhood in a vibrant display of purple – the color of the women’s liberation movement.
South America: Demanding Justice for Femicides
In South America, the marches are fueled by outrage over the killings of women, known as femicides. Protesters in Ecuador and Bolivia are demanding justice for victims and an end to impunity.
The Bigger Picture
These protests are not just about individual issues; they’re about a fundamental shift in power. Women around the world are demanding to be heard, respected, and treated as equals. The fight for equality is far from over, but International Women’s Day shows the strength and determination of women everywhere.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier even pointed out how some tech companies are promoting a ‘masculine energy’, signaling a potential step backward in the fight for equality.