Hundreds of thousands of women are expected to flood streets across Mexico on Saturday for International Women’s Day, demanding gender equality and an end to violence against women.
In Mexico City, the 8M march, held annually on March 8, will begin at multiple points, including the Monument to the Revolution and the Fuente de la Diana Cazadora (Diana the Huntress Fountain).
Leaving at various times between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., the contingents — organized by various feminist collectives — are set to converge around 2 p.m., creating a sea of purple-and-green-clad protesters advancing toward the city’s Zócalo.
Last year’s march in Mexico City had more than 180,000 participants — double the 2023 total — according to Pablo Vázquez Camacho, the minister of public security for Mexico City.
Though attendance figures for public events can vary greatly, there were various reports that last year’s event nearly filled the Zócalo, making it one of the largest Women’s Day marches in the world.
This year’s marches and demonstrations across the country will focus on several key issues, including access to safe and legal abortions nationwide, eradication of gender violence and justice for victims of femicide. Organizers are also calling for Mexico to take a stand against the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
“You have to prepare yourself psychologically beforehand, because you really feel it all,” Brenda Hernández, a mother and cannabis activist, told the digital weekly Ojalá after last year’s march. “There’s so much love among everyone here but, at the same time, there’s a lot of vulnerability and anger.”
“It’s an incredible vibe,” Fernanda, a 25-year-old college student said in the same publication. “I feel so safe here with everyone, but it’s also so painful because we’re here because of rape and murder.”
In Mexico, statistics show that more than nine women are killed daily and thousands remain missing.
Organizers are emphasizing the march’s inclusive nature, welcoming trans women, non-binary individuals and allies — although some marches and rallies specifically exclude men. Others marching will include people with disabilities, searching mothers and Indigenous peoples.
In Mexico City, groups of marchers will be led by collectives such as We R Women on Fire, the Violet Gang and Informed Women CDMX.
After violence broke out at the 2020 and 2021 marches, a dialogue involving activists and police was held before the 2023 march. Last year’s march included an incident in which a man with a motorbike found himself in the middle of a sea of marchers, resulting in a vicious fight.
This year, marches are planned all over Mexico. Here are some of them, with meeting place and departure time (*-indicates meeting time):
- Guadalajara: Niños Héroes roundabout, 4 p.m.; La Minerva roundabout, 5 p.m.
- Mexicali: Vicente Guerrero monument, 4 p.m.
- Ensenada: Revolution Park, *2 p.m.; Las Tijeras roundabout 3 p.m.
- Tecate: Monumento a la Madre, *12 p.m. (men are not invited)
- San José del Cabo: La Comer parking lot, *3:30 p.m.
- Tuxtla Gutiérrez: Autonomous University of Chiapas, *3 p.m.
- Tapachula: CEDECO train station, *1 p.m.
- Ciudad Juárez, Benito Juárez Monument, *2 p.m.; Río Grande Mall, rally only, 12 p.m.
- Saltillo: Parque Victoria, *3 p.m.; next to Distrito V complex, *4 p.m.
- Colima: Plaza de los Desaparecidos, *4 p.m.
- Durango: Parque Victoria, *4 p.m.
- Toluca: Simón Bolívar Park, *12 p.m.
- San Miguel de Allende: Benito Juárez Park, *5 p.m.
- Irapuato: Irekua Park, 3 p.m.
- León: Arco de la Calzada, 4 p.m.
- Chilpancingo: Alameda Granados Maldonado, *3 p.m.
- Morelia: Plaza Jardín Morelos, *5 p.m.
- Cuernavaca: Monumento del Niño Artillero, *9:30 am.
- Monterrey: Government palace, 5 p.m.; Explanada del Colegio Civil, rally only, 4 p.m.
- Oaxaca: Hemiciclo a Juárez, *5 p.m.
- Puebla: state attorney general’s office 10 a.m.; El Gallito del Paseo Bravo, 1 p.m.
- Querétaro: Alameda Hidalgo, *4 p.m.; Jardín Guerrero, *3 p.m.
- Playa del Carmen: Intersection of Quinta and CTM avenues, 6 p.m.; Tajamar Boardwalk, *4 p.m.
- Chetumal: Museum of Mayan Culture, *5:30 p.m. (men are not invited)
- Culiacán: Government Palace, *10 a.m.
- Nogales: Calle Campillo, 3 p.m.
- Hermosillo: University of Sonora steps, *4 p.m.
- Villahermosa: Estrella Park, *3 p.m.
- Orizaba: Poliforum, 11 a.m.
- Xalapa: Lázaro Cárdenas, near Calle Rafael & Graciano Valenzuela, *12 p.m.
- Córdoba: Calle del Arte, *4 p.m.
- Heroica Veracruz: Zamora Park, 4 p.m.
- Mérida: Mejorada Park, *5 p.m.
With reports from El Economista, El Financiero and Expansión
