This year’s March 8 saw massive demonstrations swept through cities worldwide, with thousands rallying to champion women’s rights and advocate for gender equality.
March 8, 2025, witnessed widespread demonstrations in cities across the world, as people took to the streets to advocate for women’s rights and gender equality. The protests, held on International Women’s Day, underscored a growing concern over setbacks in gender policies, the rise of far-right movements, and increasing violence against women.
Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets of downtown Chicago on Saturday to mark International Women’s Day with a rally and march, voicing their opposition to policies enacted under former President Donald Trump’s administration.
Chanting “This is not normal!” and “We’re going backward, not forward!”, protesters advocated for gender equality, reproductive rights, and protections against domestic violence. Many attendees expressed concerns that policies from the Trump era continue to harm women’s rights.
“I marched in the ‘70s for a woman’s right to choose and for the Equal Rights Amendment,” said one longtime activist. “And I feel like we’re right back where we started.” After the rally, demonstrators marched outside Trump Tower, where they chanted for over 30 minutes.
In Brussels, Belgium, protesters voiced concerns over a perceived rollback in women’s rights, particularly with the rise of far-right ideologies in Europe. Protestors stressed the urgency of protecting reproductive rights, drawing comparisons to similar challenges in other countries.
In Rome, Italy, thousands marched against gender-based violence, with demonstrators jingling keys as a symbolic act to highlight the prevalence of domestic abuse. The protest underscored the necessity of cultural shifts to challenge deeply rooted patriarchal norms. This protest came amid growing outrage over rising femicide rates in Italy and calls for harsher penalties for domestic abuse perpetrators. Activists demanded comprehensive measures to challenge deeply ingrained patriarchal norms and push for a cultural transformation that prioritizes women’s safety.
In Istanbul, Turkey, activists protested the government’s designation of 2025 as the “Year of the Family,” interpreting it as an attempt to reinforce traditional gender roles. The protests were further fueled by Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention in 2021 and the ongoing rise in femicide cases. Across the world, these demonstrations reflected a unified call for stronger protections, policy reforms, and tangible actions to ensure gender equality and justice for all.