REGINA -- Hundreds braved the cold on Saturday to take part in the annual Women’s March in Regina.
Similar marches happened across North America to support and advance women’s rights.
The march had a shorter route than usual to counter the cold temperatures, but was otherwise unaffected by the frigid Saskatchewan weather. Organizers say its message is too important to risk postponing the march due to the weather.
“Compared to what women are going through, marching in this cold weather means nothing , it means power, strength, and diversity,” said Muna De Ciman, an organizer of the march.
Krystal Kolodziejak participated in the original Women’s March in Washington, D.C., and helped organize the march in Regina on Saturday.
This year, the event is also focusing on Truth and Reconciliation efforts due to the high amounts of Indigenous women and girls affected by violence.
"Saskatchewan has double the national rate of intimate partner violence, and for indigenous women and girls, they're three and a half times more likely to experience intimate partner violence,” said Kolodziejak. “It's something that we want to draw attention to and try to change."
She said the first step in addressing some of these issues is giving women more supports.
"People have to believe women who are the victims of intimate partner violence and to start to change the perspective of their intimate partners whether they be men, women, to not treat them that way."
The third annual march in Regina kicked off at 10 a.m. at the YWCA.
