Dunedin Rally in support of the Women's March on Washington

PRESS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 18/01/17

This Saturday, Dunedin will stand in solidarity with the Women’s March on Washington. From 10.30am, a rally will take place in the upper Octagon, coinciding with marches being held in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The Dunedin event will feature local speakers and performers and is open to all including children.
The event is intended to be a positive and optimistic response to the anger and hate that too often dominates world political discourse, especially in recent months.

 The March on Washington is a grassroots campaign aimed at expressing support for those who were targeted during the U.S Presidential campaign- those identifying as LGBT, survivors of sexual assault, immigrants, muslims and those who chose to speak out against divisive political rhetoric. However, the Dunedin movement also seeks to highlight issues of inequality within New Zealand.

‘Women’s rights are human rights. Across the world, when conditions improve for women, they improve for men and children too. New Zealand has a proud history of being in the vanguard of social justice legislation that has improved the lives of many. We were after all, the first country in the world where women successfully campaigned for the vote. However, it is important that we also acknowledge how far we have to go in order to achieve equality for all in New Zealand’ said rally spokesperson Beatrice Ward

In a world often driven by fear and political uncertainty, it is all too easy for hard-won rights to be eroded or denied. We invite Dunedinites to join us to express their commitment to achieving a world free from discrimination and violence.