Birmingham march marks International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

On Sunday evening, people gathered outside St Martin’s Church in Birmingham City Centre ahead of today’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

The event was organised by Women Against The Far Right, following their Birmingham launch meeting in October. They were joined by organisations including Birmingham Black Sisters, Kings Heath United Against Racism, Birmingham NEU, and Roshni, the Birmingham women’s support charity.

Participants marched under the banner “Our voices are many, our fight is one!”, forming a procession of light in solidarity against racism, misogyny, transphobia, and all forms of hate.

Jane, one of the protesters who attended with her family, said:

“It’s really heartening to see so many Brummies out on a cold Sunday evening to demonstrate support for such an important cause. We came along to show we reject the use of violence against women and girls as a weapon against asylum seekers when it's clearly a problem across all ethnicities.”

Shirin from Birmingham Black Sisters described the Unity Walk as an inspiring and powerful experience of reclaiming the night.

She addressed the rally, saying:

“We need to reclaim the streets. I was just 20 when I first marched to reclaim the streets. One in four women have been raped or sexually assaulted according to the Rape Crisis Centre. 71,227 rapes were recorded by police in 2024. Nothing has changed.

We remember Bibaa Henry, Nicole Smallman, Sarah Everard, Sabina Nessa, Zara Aleena. Just a few of the names of women assaulted and murdered that remind us of the horrors of violence against women.

Our bodies are worthless in this racist, sexist society.

For Black and brown women it is connected to racism. Black and brown women are targets of male violence. This violence is often expressed through the language used in attacks — about our skin colour, about looking different, or expressing our faith differently.

Black Sisters stand in outrage and sorrow at the recent rise in racist attacks against Black and brown women and communities across the West Midlands.

The violence and hatred we are witnessing — from physical assault to the most horrific sexual violence — are not isolated incidents. They are part of a wider pattern of racism, misogyny and xenophobia, encouraged by divisive, fear-mongering, racist and fascist speakers and politicians that we are now facing.

In recent months, two women were raped in Oldbury and Walsall. Both women were subjected to vile racism. A clear reminder that racist and sexual violence are intertwined.

Women locally have been spat at, abused and assaulted, targeted for the colour of their skin and the visibility of their faith. To racists, we don’t belong.

As feminists with anti-colonial and anti-racist histories, we know that the fight against racism is also a fight against sexism, against state violence and against the silencing of our voices.

We demand justice, safety and dignity for all. Unity is our strength.

We will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder — as survivors, as sisters, as migrants, as women of the Global South — demanding justice, safety and dignity for all.

No woman is free until we are all free.”