Protesters Demand Equal Rights and Action Against Gender-Based Violence on International Women's Day

Women worldwide gathered in cities across Europe, Africa, and South America to commemorate International Women's Day. Their demands focused on ending inequality and gender-based violence. In Istanbul, Turkey's largest city, a rally in Kadikoy featured speeches, dancing, and singing under the spring sun. The event was monitored by a significant police presence, including officers in riot gear and a water cannon truck.

In Poland, activists made a symbolic move by opening a centre near the parliament in Warsaw. This centre offers women the opportunity to have abortions with pills, either alone or with others. The timing of its opening on International Women's Day was a direct challenge to the authorities in this predominantly Roman Catholic country, known for its strict abortion laws.

Protests Across Continents Highlight Gender Issues

Across Europe and Africa, women protested for equal pay, better access to gender-specific healthcare, and against violence. In Madrid, demonstrators displayed large hand-drawn images of Gisele Pélicot. She became a symbol for women fighting sexual violence after being drugged by her ex-husband in France to be raped by multiple men while unconscious.

In Lagos, Nigeria's capital, thousands gathered at Mobolaji Johnson Stadium. They celebrated womanhood by dancing and singing, many dressed in purple—the traditional colour of the women's liberation movement. Meanwhile, in Russia, celebrations took on an official tone with honour guard soldiers presenting yellow tulips to girls and women during events in St. Petersburg.

South American Marches Focus on Femicides

In South America, marches were organised to protest femicides. Hundreds of women in Quito, Ecuador marched to drumbeats holding signs opposing violence and the "patriarchal system." Demonstrators shouted "Justice for our daughters!" in support of slain women. In Bolivia, thousands marched late Friday, some writing graffiti on courthouse walls demanding respect for their rights and denouncing impunity in femicide cases.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier spoke in Berlin about the need for stronger efforts towards equality. He warned against regressing on progress already made. "Globally, we are seeing populist parties trying to create the impression that equality is something like a fixed idea of progressive forces," he stated.

Turkish Women Challenge Government Policies

In Turkey, protesters opposed the government's stance on women's roles being limited to marriage and motherhood. They carried banners stating "Family will not bind us to life" and "We will not be sacrificed to the family." Critics accuse President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government of restricting women's rights and failing to address violence against women effectively.

Erdogan withdrew Turkey from the Istanbul Convention in 2021—a European treaty aimed at protecting women from domestic violence. According to Turkey's We Will Stop Femicides Platform, 394 women were killed by men in 2024. Yaz Gulgun expressed concerns about societal pressures: "There is bullying at work, pressure from husbands and fathers at home and pressure from patriarchal society."

From Athens to Munich and Zurich to Belgrade, women marched demanding an end to being treated as second-class citizens in society, politics, family life, and workplaces. These protests highlighted ongoing struggles for gender equality worldwide.