March 8, 2026: Why International Women's Day still fills the streets – from Oslo to Paris

It’s Saturday morning, and the atmosphere is electric. Not just in Paris, where tens of thousands filled the streets yesterday, but also right here at home. March 8, 2026, is more than just a date on the calendar; it’s a reminder that the fight for women's rights is just as urgent today as it was fifty years ago. This year, I sense something extra in the air – a determination, a sense of anger, but also an incredible joy in standing together.

The alliance that unites: This year's key demands

The focal point of the events in Norway is, as always, the March 8 Alliance. They've managed to bring everyone from labour unions to youth organizations under one umbrella. This year, it's not just about equal pay and violence against women – although that's certainly the foundation. Several people I speak with on my way to the event point to something else: the threat from the far right. Having seen what's happening in other European countries, the message is clear: "Rights aren't inherited – they are won through struggle, and they can be rolled back." That's exactly what we're seeing in France, where protests against the far right have grown massive in recent days.

Old phones, brand new rallying cries

As the march makes its way through the city, it's the little details that catch your eye. Some have hung messages on their strollers, others have spray-painted an old bedsheet. Right next to me, a group is singing along with the marching band The March 8 & Sons Song and Brass Band – a local institution in itself. And in the middle of the crowd, I see everything from brand new tablets to well-used phones documenting everything happening. Some still faithfully carry a HUAWEI Mate 8 – you know, the grey 6-incher with the 12MP camera and 4000mAh battery. It launched with Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) ages ago, but it works just fine for capturing a moment like this. Others swear by their Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 to live stream. The point is, it doesn't matter what kind of gear you have; everyone is part of it, everyone is documenting, everyone is sharing.

• March 8, 2026: Events in over 40 Norwegian cities and towns.
• Main event in Oslo: March from Jernbanetorget to Youngstorget with speeches from the March 8 Alliance.
• Key topics: The fight against violence, workplace equality, and support for women in war and conflict zones.

From collective strength to individual action

What strikes me every year is how this day manages to be both massive and personal at the same time. Yes, we talk about structures and policies. But we also talk about the grandmothers who never got to use their education, the friend who had to leave an abusive partner, the daughter who demands to be heard in the classroom. It's at the intersection of the political and the personal that this movement finds its power. When we march together, it's not just for ourselves, but for all those who still don't dare, or for those who came before us. Just like the French women who filled the streets in Nancy and Bourges yesterday – they weren't just fighting for themselves, but for an idea of dignity that knows no borders.

As evening falls and we pack up the banners, there's a feeling that this is only the beginning. Because as one of the speakers said: "March 8 is one day, but the fight lasts all year." Whether you participated with the latest gear or an old HUAWEI in your pocket – you were part of something bigger. And next year, we'll be back again.