As the world marks International Women’s Day on Sunday 8 March, thousands of women will take to the streets of London the day before for the annual Million Women Rise march – the UK’s largest women-only protest calling for an end to violence against women and girls. Taking place on Saturday 7 March 2026, the march brings women together from across the UK and beyond to demand safety, justice and freedom from male violence. Each year, the event transforms central London into a powerful demonstration of solidarity, remembrance and collective action. Here’s everything you need to know about the Million Women Rise March London 2026, including the march route, timings, rally details and how to join.
What Is Million Women Rise?
Million Women Rise is a grassroots movement dedicated to ending all forms of men’s violence against women and girls. The annual march and rally have been taking place since 2008 and bring women together in solidarity to raise awareness of violence against women and girls and demand change.
According to organisers, the march is intentionally created as a space for women to come together and stand collectively against men’s violence. Women and girls from different communities and backgrounds attend each year, united by the shared goal of ending violence and supporting survivors.
While the march itself is a space for women, men are encouraged to support the movement in other ways, including showing solidarity from the sidelines and amplifying the message.
Million Women Rise London 2026: Date, Timings and Route
The 19th annual Million Women Rise March and Rally will take place on Saturday 7 March 2026 in central London.
Women planning to attend are encouraged to gather from 12pm at Duke Street near Selfridges, where participants will assemble ahead of the march. According to organisers, the march is expected to set off at around 1pm, with women walking together through central London in a show of solidarity against violence towards women and girls.
The march will travel along Duke Street, Oxford Street, Regent Street and Piccadilly Circus, before continuing towards Trafalgar Square, where the rally will take place.
The march is expected to run from approximately 1pm until around 2:30pm, when participants will arrive at Trafalgar Square.
Rally at Trafalgar Square
Following the march, a rally will take place in Trafalgar Square from around 2:30pm until approximately 4:30pm.
The women’s rally forms the final part of the annual event and will feature speakers, spoken word performances and music, providing a space for women to come together, share stories, raise their voices and stand in solidarity.
Why Women Continue to March
The annual Million Women Rise march has become one of the most visible women’s protests in London, bringing together thousands of women and girls each year to demand safety, justice and freedom from violence.
Now in its 19th year, the march continues to draw women from across the UK and beyond. Women continue to march because many say the reality remains unchanged – women and girls are still not safe, and justice for survivors is still too often out of reach.
The annual Million Women Rise event is a powerful display of unity in which women and girls gather to demand freedom, justice, safety and an end to all forms of male violence against women in all its forms.
Statistics illustrate the scale of the issue and why women’s protests like the Million Women Rise march remain necessary.
In the UK, one in four women has experienced domestic abuse, while globally one in three women aged 15 and older has experienced physical and or sexual violence at least once, most commonly by an intimate partner. This equates to an estimated 840 million women worldwide.
A recent report published by the Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales states that domestic abuse victims in England and Wales are being failed at every stage of their journey to safety and justice.
In England and Wales, one in twelve women is subjected to stalking, harassment, sexual assault or domestic violence each year. More than 280 cases of forced marriage were reported to the UK’s Forced Marriage Unit in 2023, and since April 2015, 38,605 women and girls affected by female genital mutilation have engaged with NHS services, according to NHS England Digital.
The statistics also highlight the severity of domestic violence in the UK. In the year ending March 2023, almost half of adult female homicide victims in England and Wales were killed in domestic homicides, with the vast majority of those victims killed by a male suspect, according to the Office for National Statistics.
These figures underline why women’s protests remain vital in raising awareness and demanding change. The Million Women Rise march calls for immediate action to end male violence in all its forms and for increased resources for specialist support services, including refuges, rape crisis centres and other safe spaces for survivors.
Referencing the words of writer and activist Audre Lorde, organisers emphasise the importance of solidarity between women:
“I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.”
Organisers say the march is about collective resistance and solidarity. One volunteer said: “Every year we come together from across these islands and beyond to take over these streets and say ‘NO MORE!’ No more violence against women and girls in all its forms.
“We come together to raise our collective voices, at a time when individual men, governments, media bosses and their so-called ‘tech bros’ are trying to distract us, intimidate us and silence us.
“We are rising because we see each other and we believe in each other. We still hold love in our hearts for humanity, for each other’s children, for our sisters scattered, detained, lost, raped, abused, tortured and disappeared.”
She added: “This is not just a march, this is a call to women everywhere. Wherever you are, whatever your piece of the puzzle is. Let’s come together. When we come together we are unstoppable!”
Accessibility Support for Women Attending the March
Organisers say a number of accessibility measures will be in place during the event. An access bus will travel along the march route to the rally for women who need additional support. Stewards will also be present to offer support and assistance from the meeting point through to the rally.
BSL (British Sign Language) interpreters will be present at the rally in Trafalgar Square to support Deaf women attending the event. A quiet zone will also be provided as a space for reflection and support, and information about accessible toilets along the route will be available.
Guidance has also been provided for women who are fasting during Ramadan. Women who require a personal assistant are asked to ensure their assistant is also a woman, in keeping with the women-only nature of the march.
Can Men Attend the Million Women Rise March?
Organisers say the march itself is a space created specifically for women and girls to come together in solidarity against male violence.
Men who want to show their support are asked not to enter Duke Street, which is the official meeting point for the march. Instead, supporters are encouraged to stand along the pavements on Oxford Street and other parts of the route to cheer the women marching.
While the march itself is reserved for women and children, organisers emphasise that the wider movement welcomes the support of anyone committed to ending male violence in all its forms.
