Yahoo News Women’s March: Activists in 34 countries across the globe to take to streets one year on from Donald Trump's inauguration
Tens of thousands of women in at least 34 countries are expected to take to the streets this weekend a year after millions marched to protest Donald Trump's inauguration.
Around five million women around the world staged demonstrations on January 21 last year, the day after Mr Trump was sworn in as US president.
Many wore pink "pussy hats" in reference to his comments about "grabbing women" and carried signs promoting an end to discrimination, harassment and oppression.
Pictures of events in locations ranging from India to Antarctica united activists around the world and ignited a flare for activism that has continued for the past 12 months.
On Sunday, scores of demonstrators will set out again in cities around the world with to campaign for more women's rights advocates, to stamp out hate crimes, and encourage activism.
Countries marching around the world
Ghana; Kenya; Nigeria; Uganda; Zambia; China; Japan; Kyrgyzstan; Taiwan; Thailand; Austria; Brussels, Belgium; France; Germany; Greece; Italy; Luxembourg; Norway; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; UK; Bermuda; Canada; Costa Rica; Mexico; Virgin Islands; Australia; New Zealand; Argentina; Colombia; Ecuador; United States.
Campaigners said Mr Trump's "misogynist" comments and policies rolling back birth control and equal pay efforts have propelled many women into activism for the first time.
And this has combined with social media campaigns like the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment and sexual assault that have dominated the end of last year and early 2018.
"I think that these are natural outgrowths of that outpouring of energy and they reflect some of the issues of the people who marched," Vanessa Wruble, head of March On, one group of organisers, told the Reuters.
"It felt like [last year] was a huge signal to Trump's administration," said Elissar Harati, 29.
Multiple accusations of sexual misconduct against male actors, filmmakers and agents in Hollywood, and the #MeToo and #TimesUp campaigns against sexual harassment, have awoken her to broader issues like equal pay and maternity leave, she said.
Tens of thousands of people have registered their intentions on social media to join rallies on Saturday and Sunday, with major events planned in London, New York and Los Angeles, as well as countries all over the world.
The organisers of this year’s Women’s March in London called on activists to “step up, show up and speak up” at the event on Sunday.
In honour of the #MeToo movement and in acknowledgement to Oprah Winfrey’s widely-praised speech at this year’s Golden Globes, the march has been named “Time's Up”. The poster urges activists and supporters to “stand side by side” to pledge to “make change in big and small ways”.
Crowds are set to gather at Richmond Terrace, opposite Downing Street, from 11am.
