Millions of women, men, children and pets around the world took to the streets over the weekend to voice their opposition to the hateful rhetoric of President Donald Trump and to stand up for gender equality.
Over 600 rallies in 60 countries took place to coincide with Trump’s first day in office. In Washington DC alone, an estimated 500,000 people attended The Women’s March on Washington, which Amnesty International co-sponsored.
The #WomensMarch in downtown St. Louis! This is what democracy looks like. pic.twitter.com/mzb5xMZUKC
— Antonio French (@AntonioFrench) January 21, 2017
“We’re proud to stand with people from all across the country to declare that women’s rights are human rights and to demand that the new administration and Congress protect everyone’s human rights,” said Margaret Huang, executive director of Amnesty International USA.
Our own National Director Claire Mallinson braved the chilly conditions to join the march in London and in Australia and New Zealand, thousands marched through the capital cities, including an estimated 3,000 who marched through Hyde Park in Sydney.
Sydney Women’s March organiser Mindy Freiband told ABC: “We are marching today in solidarity with woman all over the world against sexism, bigotry and racism.”
While the A-listers gave the Trump Inauguration a wide berth, their numbers were strong in support of the cause. In New York, actresses Helen Mirren, Cynthia Nixon and Whoopi Goldberg joined the crowd of protesters, while in Washington, America Ferrera, Scarlett Johansson and Madonna (rather controversially) spoke out for women’s rights.
Hannah Harborow, Campaigns Manager at Amnesty International Australia said: “Once again, we’ve shown the world we’re a force to be reckoned with – that we’re strong, independent and equal. And no one, especially President Trump, can stand in our way.
“We will keep demanding an end to violence, abuse, exploitation and control until the day comes we are not only seen, but live, as equals.”
Want to keep the momentum going? Here are 10 actions you can take in 100 days.
Have your say: Did you March?
We need more of these marchs till we get our issues addressed & resolved.
I wish I had known! How was the march communicated?
Hi Ella! There were Womens Marches around the world with various organisers. A lot of the promotion happened on Facebook. Searching ‘Womens March [your city]’ should bring up some information so you can keep in touch for future events. Thank you so much for your support!
No pride in genocide.
We do not celebrate other atrocities of human rights, such as the Holocaust and September 11
It is unthinkable that in Australia in 2017 that we still continue to celebrate Australia Day on the 26 of January. The very day in 1778 when the English empire invaded Australia under the legal fiction of Terra nullius declaring Australia to be unoccupied at the time of European settlement, and therefore classifying aboriginal Australians as Flora and fauna and not as human beings in their own right up until the referendum of 1967 when aboriginals Australians were finally classified as being citizen of Australia for the first time despite the fact that aboriginal Australians have existed on this land for more than 60,000 years. no treaty was signed at the time of settlement, therefore sovereignty was never granted and The English empire therefore illegally acquired position of Australia. Not only did Australia’s first people Face disposition of their land and The massacre, slaughter and slavery of their people. But social and governmental policies that had the clear directive to eradicate or assimilate aboriginal Australians to the point that their culture and language would be completely absolved, The stolen generation would clearly come under the clarification of genocide under the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide Article II section (e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group. Despite Australia being a signatory to the convention on genocide and that children were still being forcibly removed until the 1970s. Yet these breaches in human rights and antidiscrimination law still continue till this day, The Northern Territory intervention and the quarantining of Social Security payments came to the attention of the United Nations, the United Nations have on several occasions made comments about Australia’s treatment of its indigenous people.
Despite this irrefutable history of atrocities committed against the first custodians of this land ” their voices and sorrow will remain mostly unheard, amongst the loud row of the crowds of people celebrating “Australia Day”.
Today feels my heart with great sorrow, I will be proud to celebrate this great nation to which I am a citizen of, when it changes the date of Australia Day, until then I will stand hand-in-hand and support my brothers and sisters , the first peoples of this land until justice prevails.
Hi, was proud to march in Canberra, Australia with my guide-dog. Was exceptionally pleased that so many young women were marching and thus taking over from us oldies who seem to have been marching for social justice forever!! We just have to keep on trying to do something to counteract Trump and his cohorts. Thanks to Amnesty who will continually monitor his excesses and utterly unreasonable actions – I trust!
I have mixed feelings about the Woman March which I attended in St. Paul, MN. The four organizers are white woman and they think they are representing people of color, Native women, transgender, and lesbians. I am a lesbian feminist and I don’t feel the organizers were even feminists. I have grave concerns about what Linda Sarsour tweeted to Ayana Hirsi Ali in 2013. I don’t think you can truly be a feminist and treat other women with such disrespect. This may sound negative but it how I really feel. Thanks for allowing me to share my feelings.
Australians, regardless of ethnicity should all come together on January 26th to celebrate our unity as Australians. Changing the date to another day will not change Australia’s history.
Anzac Day and Remembrance Day are both days in which we take the time to remember those who have died. They are sacred days, and January 26th should be a sacred day too, to remember the Aborigines who died on that day.
It is important for January 26th to remain a public holiday, to allow people to have a break from work in order to be able to reflect on the past and remember those who have died on this day. January 26th should be a sacred day, respected by all Australians.