Millions Expected to Join Global Women's March to 'Act as a Catalyst for Political and Social Change'

Millions of advocates for women’s human rights are expected to take to the streets in dozens of cities worldwide on Saturday, Jan. 18 for the fourth annual Global Women’s March.

“The subversion of women’s human rights is extremely detrimental to the significant progress women have made over hundreds of years in their quest for social justice and equality.”
—Uma Mishra-Newbery, Women’s March Global

Women’s March Global executive director Uma Mishra-Newbery declared Friday that “tomorrow’s marches will demonstrate that by harnessing our collective power, women’s human rights advocates can act as a catalyst for political and social change.”

The broad aim of this year’s global action, officially called the “March for Our Human Rights,” is to protest against “women’s struggles in exercising bodily autonomy, the right to self-governance over one’s own body without coercion or external pressures,” according to organizers.

As Women’s March Global explained last week:

“The subversion of women’s human rights is extremely detrimental to the significant progress women have made over hundreds of years in their quest for social justice and equality,” Mishra-Newbery said in an earlier statement. “Collective action is needed to overcome this systemic discrimination and advance human rights.”

Dozens of marches are planned in at least 23 countries, including Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Kenya, the federated states of Micronesia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Given the ongoing bushfire crisis in Australia, Women’s March Sydney announced earlier this month that its march has been postponed. The group added that “climate justice affects us all, but we also recognize that climate issues disproportionately impact vulnerable communities, including First Nations people and women,” and urged supporters to consider donating to a GoFundMe fundraiser for providing fire relief to First Nations communities.

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