Tens of thousands of people marched across France on Sunday, March 8, 2026, to demand greater protections and rights for women, with the largest demonstration taking place in Paris. Protesters began gathering at 2 PM, moving from Stalingrad towards Place de la République, carrying signs and chanting slogans such as “Stop violence,” “work to live, not survive,” and “our bodies belong to us.”
The demonstrations, held in 150 locations nationwide, were organized by over a hundred organizations, including feminist groups and trade unions, responding to what they describe as a rising threat to women’s rights from far-right conservatism. A separate gathering was planned by the far-right group Némésis, raising concerns about the potential co-option of feminist discourse for racist agendas.
Protesters are calling for a €3 billion annual budget to combat sexist violence and a comprehensive legal framework to address gender inequality. Persistent economic disparities were also highlighted, with data showing women in France earned 21.8% less than men in 2024, alongside ongoing difficulties in accessing reproductive healthcare.
The protests coincided with International Women’s Rights Day and followed France’s hosting of the 4th ministerial conference on feminist diplomacy in October 2025, which resulted in a political declaration endorsed by 31 states to defend the rights of women and girls and promote gender equality. France has also been actively advocating for gender equality in international forums, seeking to integrate this goal into broader issues such as inequality reduction and sustainable development.
France reaffirmed its commitment to defending access to safe abortion internationally on September 28, 2024, emphasizing the importance of bodily autonomy for women’s health, life, and freedom. Domestically, France has been working to address online violence against women, enacting the Secure and Regulate the Digital Space (SREN) Act in May 2024, aimed at protecting citizens, particularly women and minors, from online dangers like cyber harassment and deepfakes. The country also launched the Laboratory for Women’s Rights Online in 2024, a platform for sharing ideas and developing projects to prevent and combat gender-based violence.
Looking ahead, France is scheduled to host the AI Action Summit in February 2025, with a specific focus on gender issues. The government has not yet responded to specific demands made by protesters regarding the proposed €3 billion budget or the details of the requested legal framework.
