Manchester's Walk for Women 2024: Everything you need to know about annual march - including route

The annual Walk for Women is set to take place again this year, with hundreds of women  and supporters following in the footsteps of Manchester’s suffragettes and marching in honour of women’s rights. 

The march will take place 12-2:30pm on Saturday, March 9, the day after International Women’s Day. Participants must register beforehand via the Manchester City Council website.

Manchester has a strong connection to the historic fight for women’s rights as the home of Emmeline Pankhurst and the suffragettes. The march is an opportunity for women today to honour their work and the women’s movements they paved the way for, as well as other pioneering achievements of women over the years.  

Participants are encouraged to come along and make as much noise as possible, with creative chants and safe instruments. People are also welcome to bring their own banners and plaques with messages of support and the reasons they are taking to the streets for the march. People can also share their images, videos and messages from the march on social media, using the hashtags #WalkForWomen, #IWDMCR and #IWD2024. This year's theme is 'Inspiring Inclusion'.

How to take part and march route

Registration is now open for the event. Participants must register via the  Manchester City Council website. The march will begin on Mount Street behind Central Library (by the John Cassidy 'Ardrift' statue). It will then travel to Albert Square before turning onto Brazennose Street, making a right to Deansgate and ending at Manchester Cathedral. More events are being held in local parks throughout the month of March including bike rides, art workshops and safety advice to bring family, friends and community members together and spread the message of women empowerment.

Accessibility

There will be rest stops along the route and dropped kerbs for wheelchair access at the following points:

• At the junction of Mount Street and Peter Street, next to where we're meeting
• On Deansgate, outside John Rylands Library
• At the junction of Deansgate and John Dalton Street, outside Katsouris Deli
• At the junction of Deansgate and King Street, outside House of Fraser
• At the junction of Deansgate and St Mary’s Street
• At the junction of Deansgate and Blackfriars
• At Cathedral Yard, opposite Harvey Nichols.

The events team will be able to provide hearing packs and access to the hearing loop for anyone who needs them. There will be a British Sign Language interpreter at the event and volunteers, council staff and security officers will also be on hand to help. More information can be found on the Manchester City Council website.

What do the organisers say?

Councillor Becky Chambers, the council's lead member for women, said: “I cannot wait to welcome International Women’s Day celebrations back to Manchester for another year. IWD is always a significant occasion for women and the walk gives us the opportunity to celebrate women and their achievements. 

“We will celebrate Manchester’s history of fighting for women's rights, which reminds us of the brave strides that have been made to advance women’s equality and will continue to resonate for generations to come."

Councillor Joanna Midgley, Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “After welcoming back the Walk for Women only last year, we anticipate this year to be an even bigger and better turn out of advocates for women’s equality. The walk around our amazing city is a celebratory moment for progress and women everywhere, but it’s also a vivid reminder of the continuing work that needs to be done to challenge negative attitudes and obstacles surrounding women and girls. The support on this day is a pivotal reflection of all that has been done and all that is to come for women’s equality.”