They joined thousands of other men and women from 157 countries to demand the elimination of poverty and violence against women. In the hours before the march protesters mingled while announcements were made in English, French, and Spanish. The sky threatened to storm, but the group mustered courage. Chants, songs, and slogans filled the air with a variety of languages.
Women hold less then one percent of the world's wealth.
The march was planned and orchestrated by the Federation of Quebec Women in Montreal, Canada. Some of the group's demands include that governments recognize and take action against violence against women. They are also demanding that states implement national anti-poverty policies, programs, action plans, and projects that include specific measures to eliminate women's poverty. To make their voices heard on these issues, they met with the World Bank's President, James Wolfensohn, in Washington on October 15th and with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, during the march on October 17th. It was inspiring to see people from different backgrounds coming together for a common cause.