Women and their allies took to the streets to demand gender equality and an end to violence, in global resistance against regressive policies
~ Alisa-Ece Tohumcu ~
International Women’s Day is a global call to action against patriarchal oppression, economic injustice, and state violence. The day traces its origins to labour movements in the early 1900s, particularly among women textile workers who fought for fair wages and humane working conditions. It was formally recognised by socialist movements in Europe, marking the revolutionary role of women in shaping history. While the United Nations, NGOs and lifestyle marketing have all worked to co-opt the day, protests worldwide on 8 March 2025 have reaffirmed its working-class, feminist, and anti-oppressive legacy.
In Turkey, thousands gathered in Istanbul’s Kadiköy district, pushing back against the Erdoğan government’s increasing restrictions on women’s rights and its traditionalist declaration of 2025 as the “Year of the Family”. The protest highlighted the rising femicide rates in Turkey, exacerbated since the country’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention.
Across Europe, from Madrid to Warsaw and Berlin, women marched against gender-based violence and restrictive abortion laws. In Spain, demonstrators held portraits of Gisèle Pelicot, a survivor of drug-induced sexual violence, while in Poland, activists opened an abortion centre opposite the parliament in defiance of the country’s near-total ban on the procedure.
In Athens, demonstrators gathered outside Korydallos women’s prison, sending a message of solidarity to incarcerated women. Among them were anarchist prisoners Marianna M. and Dimitra Z., who were arrested and charged with terrorism after an explosion in Ampelokipoi. Activists denounced their mistreatment, including forced DNA sampling and inadequate medical care for Marianna M., who suffered severe injuries.
In northeast Syria, International Women’s Day was celebrated as a revolutionary holiday, a testament to the role of Kurdish and other women fighters in dismantling ISIS and resisting oppressive rule. The contrast was stark compared to other parts of Syria, where a new Islamist government threatens to impose misogynistic laws. Activists reaffirmed their commitment to defending the hard-won autonomy of women in the region.
With Trump back in office, protests also swept across the U.S., targeting his administration’s attacks on women’s rights, diversity policies, and LGBTQ+ protections. In Orlando, demonstrators gathered outside a Tesla showroom to protest Elon Musk’s involvement with the Trump cabinet, and in St. Petersburg, Florida tensions flared when a pro-Trump agitator physically assaulted protesters but was eventually arrested.
In war-torn Ukraine, despite heavy repression, women continue to resist both the Russian invasion and the state’s militarisation. Stories have emerged of female metro workers in Kharkov warning people about enlistment raids and women openly challenging police enforcing conscription. While an organised anti-war feminist movement is nearly impossible under current conditions, individual acts of defiance persist.
From the prison protests in Greece to acts of resistance in Ukraine, from the streets of Istanbul to the revolutionary celebrations in Syria, women across the globe proved that their struggle is inseparable from the broader fights against authoritarianism, capitalism, and war. As the world shifts, the voices of women will continue to rise; demanding not just survival, but liberation.
