Women Across Southern Europe Strike to Protest Gender Inequality

Thursday’s International Women’s Day saw a coordinated effort by millions of women across the region to draw attention to economic disparities between the sexes and gender-based violence. Although an unprecedented number of women participated in the protest, it was not unanimously endorsed by the region’s leaders.

In recognition of International Women’s Day, women across Europe abstained from work and took to the streets on Thursday to highlight the persistence of economic inequality and gender-based violence. Millions marched and filled public spaces, resulting in numerous public transit and flight delays across the continent. These protests come on the heels of similar feminist movements including #MeToo and “Time’s Up”, which have initiated a public debate on sexual assault and the pay-gap between men and women. Unfortunately, some of the responses to the protests have illustrated that the defense of women’s rights is still a controversial topic in southern Europe.

Read more here.