Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Thousands of women participated in rallies in Brussels on March 08, 2025, to mark International Women’s Day and advocate for equality and the end of gender-based violence.
There was an outpouring of women in cities all over the world to commemorate International Women’s Day. Several demonstrations and protests were held in major capitals as activists called for a halt to inequality and gender-based violence, among many other demands.
In the European capital, Brussels, thousands marched to warn against what organisers of the protest called a “worrying regression” in women’s rights. The rise of the right, and in some cases, far-right, across European countries has led many activists to worry that women’s rights may be under threat.
How does the Brussels rally highlight global women’s struggles?
With the rise of the far right everywhere in Europe there could really be a backlash on the rights (of women and minorities),
stated Quentin Poucard, a French activist partaking in the Brussels rally.
I could have never thought that abortion could be put into question in the United States and here it is, so if it is possible in the United States it could unfortunately also be possible in Europe. And we cannot let that happen.
Protesters chimed, carried placards and put up banners. It said
abortion is a human right” and “women will be free only once all women will be free, from detention centres to prisons, from Congo to Palestine, from the fields to the factories.
For many demonstrators, participating in the protest was not just a matter of activism, but also an option to surround themselves with likeminded people.
For me it is important to be here, it brings me a lot of energy because we are surrounded by likeminded people, and sometimes one can feel lonely in everyday life when facing discrimination on a daily basis,
stated Candice Palmer, a Brussels citizen.
So it is very empowering to be surrounded by people thinking the same way. That is why I am here, and also I am here for the people who can’t be here,
she also said.
Activists were demanding heightened social protection for women as well as better liberties for migrant women.
