The celebration of Women’s Day and the mourning of a promised future
Jenisa Kosar
Earlier this month hundreds of thousands of women participated in rallies all over the world, and not just to celebrate International Women’s Day; These women took to the streets to express their worries and disapprobation of a global regression in women’s rights.
Demands for ending inequality and gender-based violence has only increased since President Donald Trump’s return to office. In cities spanning from the East Coast to the West Coast of the U.S almost 300 demonstrations took place, each consisting of numerous protestors who rallied against the Trump administration’s policies. Within mere hours after his inauguration, Trump has recently signed several administrative orders that many advocates state immoderately affect women. Such orders concern the eradication of equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives in the federal government.
Other nations across the globe, such as Europe, are likewise seeing a gradual rise of the far-right wing. Following the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, pro-life measures seemingly appear to be the main focus of many current right-wing parties, which brings about the concern of other women’s rights becoming threatened.
In the European capital, Brussels, thousands of marching women advocated both for strengthened social protection, as well as improved rights for migrant women. An additional several thousand women flooded the streets of Rome, Italy, to protest against gender-based violence. Others marching in Athens, Greece, demanded ends to gender-based discrimination, such as the gender pay-gap.
Within these hundreds of thousands of rallying women, each have their own intentions shaped by their individual stories and emotions. Some participate in a matter of activism, while many others take the opportunity to adjoin themselves with like-minded people. Besides harbouring a mutual and growing frustration akin to a raging wildfire, those who marched in the streets on March 8th share an obstinate hope that our nations may yet be steered in the correct course to further protect women’s rights.
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