About a hundred people took to the streets of Orihuela on Sunday to mark International Women’s Day, joining a march organised by the city council and the local Equality Board under the slogan “Orihuela Making Equality a Reality.”
The demonstration began at midday outside City Hall and moved through the historic centre before concluding at the Glorieta Gabriel Miró, where the main institutional ceremony and the reading of a manifesto took place.
Opening the event, Equality councillor Agustina Rodríguez said March 8 provides an opportunity to strengthen collective determination to defend women’s rights. She warned that despite progress, patriarchal attitudes and sexism remain deeply rooted in society and stressed that women “will not take a step backwards” on the rights already achieved.
Rodríguez described feminism as an essential tool for building a fairer society, emphasising that it does not seek privileges but equal rights. She also cautioned against misinformation—particularly on social media—that portrays feminism as confrontational or anti-male, noting that such narratives can confuse younger generations and create the false impression that gender equality has already been achieved.
Representatives from organisations including Vega Baja Acoge, Mujeres para el Tercer Milenio, Foro Social, Asociación de Mujeres Clara Campoamor, Cáritas Orihuela and Cruz Roja then joined together to read the official manifesto.
The statement highlighted ongoing challenges such as the gender pay gap, unequal care responsibilities and violence against women, noting that 10 women and two minors have already been killed in Spain in 2026 in gender-related violence cases.
Concluding the manifesto, organisers echoed a quote from Karl Marx, reminding attendees that historical progress has always depended on the role of women.
