Women’s March Muskoka Jan. 19 Huntsville

HUNTSVILLE — Walk with and for women Jan. 19 in Huntsville.

At 12:30 p.m. the Women’s March Muskoka will lead a walk through the downtown core.

A women-led initiative, the walk aims to bring the entire community together, regardless of gender identity, in solidarity of women’s issues that remain prevalent in our society both locally and globally, says a release from the group.

It’s part of an international movement called Women’s March Global.

The local walk will depart from Huntsville Place Mall and stroll down to River Mill Park, where it will turn around and return to the mall.

The event is open to all women, their partners, children and families.

“We firmly believe that change happens when we bring the entire community to bear on these issues and challenges. This is an opportunity for unity, solidarity, and community building,” says the release. “Violence against women is as much a local issue as it is a global one.”

They say: “Over 80 per cent of women in Muskoka, who have experienced physical abuse, never report that crime to the police.”

In 2014, the YWCA Muskoka published “A Statistical Economic and Social Profile of Muskoka” in which they reported that 129 women and 76 children were supported by women’s shelters in Muskoka that year alone, the same shelters that were over capacity for 61 days.

“One solution is to increase capacity, but that only address the symptom,” says Women’s March Muskoka chapter ambassador Michelle Emson. “The better solution is to eliminate the need for shelters entirely.”
She adds “One of the guiding unity principles of the Women’s March Movement is inclusivity.”

“This single guiding principle is at the very core of our walk on Saturday. Yes, we are raising awareness of women’s issues and the injustices of the past, but the sustainable solution is a team effort on the part of our community as a whole. We can all be a part of the solution to end violence against women.”
The release says, on average, women in Muskoka earn 34.8 per cent less than men.

And that of the 2,030 single-parent families, 1,645 were headed by women, surviving on as little as $20,000/year on average.
There are numerous groups within Muskoka that work specifically in supporting the women of our community including, Muskoka Women’s Advocacy Group, Huntsville Women’s Group, the YWCA, Muskoka Parry Sound Sexual Assault Services, and others, many of whom are participating in the march.
On January 19th and 20th people around the world will flood the streets in protest of gender inequalities and gender-based violence.

The third anniversary march, known as #WomensWave, celebrates 2017’s revolutionary Women’s March that brought together six million marchers across the globe in support of women’s rights and freedoms.
The 2018 impact report showcases the powerful effect Women’s March Global has had on the planet, with an average 18 events a month, Women’s March Global is taking big steps towards positive change around the world.
“We have demonstrated that people coming together peacefully can change the world,” said Women’s March Global interim executive director Uma Mishra-Newbury. “Women’s March Global is not just a moment in time, it is a movement that is uniting people across borders, languages and countries and we are excited to see this movement continue to grow.”
Marches are to be held in cities around the world. A live stream of the marches will be available on the Women’s March Global Facebook page.

About Women’s March Muskoka:

Women’s March Muskoka is affiliated with Women’s March Global. It is a grass-roots community event to inspire solidarity and social change with respect to women’s rights and freedoms. Their 2019 rally is open to everyone and is family friendly. Our theme this year is “#Women’sWave,” women are rising up, all over the globe, in protest of the injustices of the past and coming together, as a community, to ensure an equitable future for everyone.
Websites:     womensmarchmuskoka.org
Facebook:     @womensmarchmuskoka
Twitter:         @WM_Muskoka
Instagram:     @womensmarchmuskoka
For enquiries relating to Women’s March Muskoka, please contact:
Michelle Emson Women’s March Muskoka
info@womensmarchglobal.org
https://womensmarchmuskoka.org
+1(905) 805-8855

About Women’s March Global: 

Women’s March Global empowers communities, organisations and individuals to start chapters, take action, organise events and learn. Women’s March Global community chapters are run independently, under a free license from Women’s March Global.
Websites:     womensmarchglobal.org
Medium:     @Womens-March-Global
Facebook:     @womensmarchglobal
Twitter:         @WM_global
Instagram:     @womensmarchglobal
For enquiries relating to Women’s March Global, please contact:
Melissa Durrell
Media Manager
Women’s March Global
media@womensmarchglobal.org
+1 (519) 500-4408