On January 18th, 2020 women and allies around the world will join the fourth annual Women’s March Global, a yearly event that brings together inspired, international change-makers committed to fighting for equality, justice, and human rights worldwide.

Next year’s event, March for Our Human Rights, will focus on bodily autonomy, which is the right to self-governance over one’s own body without coercion or external pressures. This includes abortion rights, sexual health and reproductive rights, sexual consent, period equality, family planning, medical treatments, and more.

In the last year alone, women’s reproductive, sexual and human rights have experienced a massive rollback around the world. At a recent United Nations meeting, the United States joined 19 nations, including Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Russia, Iraq, and Libya, in declaring that women have no international right to abortion. These 19 member states represent 1.3 billion people who have agreed to partner with the United States in its mission to restrict a woman’s access to safe and legal abortions.

These international attempts to subvert women’s human rights are what drives us, our local chapters, and our members to bring international attention to these pressing issues. The consequences of inaction are profound and can jeopardise the significant progress women have made in their push for civil rights and social equality.

Women’s March Global is committed to action-oriented solutions that will empower women to overcome systemic discrimination and advance their human rights.

In Saint John, we will gather at noon at King Square and begin the event.