Barcelona will be dyed purple on March 8. The city will once again host two large marches that will circulate separately for the second consecutive year, consolidating the breakup of the unified bloc that occurred in 2025. The current social context adds urgency to the protest: the beginning of 2026 stands out as the most violent in the last decade, with one woman murdered every five days and the proliferation of digital networks of sexual assault.
Although the organizers have strategic differences on the trans law and the political subject of feminism, both groups agree on the critical need to occupy public space. The common goal will be to highlight the injustices suffered by half the population and to curb the advance of discourses that violate women’s fundamental rights.
Schedule for the 8M Assembly march
The joint mobilization, organized by the 8M Assembly, will begin on Sunday, March 8, at 11:30 a.m. from the Jardinets de Gràcia. Protesters will march down Passeig de Gràcia and cross Ronda de Sant Pere until they reach Plaça de Catalunya . The route will end at the Arc de Triomf, where the closing ceremony will take place on Passeig de Lluís Companys.
This group will focus its complaints on the feminization of poverty and the global care crisis. Under the slogan “Not one step back,” the organization demands universal public services and the protection of free maternity care. In addition, the march will denounce the rise of the far right and racism on a global scale.
Call to action by the Feminist Movement
For its part, the Feminist Movement of Barcelona will begin its own protest at 12:00 noon. The meeting point will be Plaza de Catalunya, where participants will defend the idea that women’s rights are non-negotiable. Their manifesto focuses on the exploitation of bodies and labor, as well as combating sexist violence in all its forms.
This division in the movement arose in 2025 after the schism over the inclusion of trans women in feminist demands. Despite this, both factions are calling for mass mobilization to curb the increase in sexual assaults and workplace discrimination that persists in 2026.
The organizations point out that 2026 has seen alarming figures, with one woman murdered every five days in Spain. For this reason, during the marches, information will be provided on the resources available and emergency telephone numbers for victims of violence against women.
Institutional events and the Maria Aurèlia Capmany Award
Barcelona City Council will reaffirm its commitment by reading an institutional manifesto on March 6 at 9:00 a.m. in Plaça de Sant Jaume. The event will include the display of a banner on the municipal balcony with this year’s slogan: “Trenquemos els estereotips” (Let’s break stereotypes).
In addition, the city is celebrating the 40th edition of the March 8 – Maria Aurèlia Capmany Award. This award, worth €15,000, recognizes projects that help eradicate gender clichés. The award ceremony will take place on March 9 at 5:30 p.m. in the Saló de Cent.
As a new feature, the “Converses feministes” (Feminist Conversations) series will tour various venues in the city over the coming months to discuss equality in science, culture, and politics.