by InTrieste
Hundreds of people gathered in Trieste on Sunday for a demonstration organized by the feminist collective Non Una di Meno, placing the relationship between patriarchy and labor at the center of the march marking International Women’s Day.
Participants denounced what they described as persistent inequalities in the workplace, including precarious employment, low wages and the gender pay gap. Activists also highlighted the often invisible or underpaid burden of care work, which they said continues to fall disproportionately on women.
Protesters pointed to gaps in public services as one of the factors reinforcing those inequalities. Among the concerns raised were the shortage of childcare facilities and recent changes to local health services.
Organizers also criticized the reduction of family counseling centers in the city. “Recently in Trieste the number of consultori was cut from four to two,” another speaker said, referring to public health centers that provide reproductive and family services. “That also reduces opportunities to identify and respond to women’s needs.”
Some participants also pointed to difficulties accessing abortion services within Italy’s national health system, saying that in some cases women must travel long distances to obtain the procedure.
The march moved through the city center with banners and chants. Among the slogans heard were “We don’t want a celebration, we want to count ourselves alive,” and “It’s not the day of the mimosa flower, it’s a day of struggle,” reflecting criticism of the more symbolic or celebratory aspects often associated with March 8.
For many demonstrators, gender-based violence remained a central issue. One participant said she had experienced “many forms of gender violence, both personally and systemically,” adding that she hoped such experiences could at least be reduced.
Organizers dedicated the march to victims of patriarchal violence. Before the procession began, activists tied 13 new fuchsia scarves to the railing of the garden in Piazza Hortis — a reference, they said, to the 13 victims of femicide recorded in Italy since the beginning of the year.
Messages displayed during the march also included the slogan “Without consent it’s rape,” expressing opposition to proposed legislation known as the ddl Buongiorno and reaffirming support for abortion rights.
