Belmopan Hosts Night March Calling for Safer Streets for Women

Following similar initiatives held today in Belize City and Dangriga, the nation’s capital is now adding its voice to the movement. As Belize observes the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, Miss Belmopan, Shannia Pech, has launched a powerful call to action with a nighttime march aimed at reclaiming safety for women and girls.  Pech has organized the “Take Back The Night Women’s March”, a bold and symbolic demonstration urging the community to confront the realities of violence against women and to advocate for safer streets, safer homes, and safer communities.  Speaking to Love News, Pech said the march is meant to highlight the fear many women experience while simply moving around the city after dark. She emphasized that the event is both a show of solidarity and a reminder that women deserve to feel safe at all hours.

Shannia Pech, Miss Belmopan: “The walk is tomorrow at 6pm. We’ll be starting off right here at City Council. We’ll do a complete rotation as long as everyone’s willing to do the full route and we’ll end off here at City Council as well where we’ll have some refreshments and a light snack. And the whole purpose of this “Take Back the Night Walk” is just a reminder that we are standing for ending violence against women. 16 days of activism is fighting against gender-based violence and with today starting off 16 days of activism, we really wanted to do a walk where we take back the night, because most of the times when women encounter violence, you know, it’s in the nighttime, walking the streets we don’t feel safe. So it’s a great message that we are taking back the night, we want to feel safe in the streets again. And it’s a good message to send out to the public, especially with the rising cases of domestic violence of late.”

Miss Belmopan is inviting residents to join the cause as she amplifies her advocacy for women’s and girls’ safety during nighttime travel throughout Belmopan. Participants are encouraged to wear an orange shirt, the official color of the campaign, and to bring along a placard with a message of support or awareness.  The march is expected to bring together women, men, and families united in the fight to end gender-based violence, reinforcing the message being echoed across the country: Belizeans are standing up, speaking up, and taking action to protect women and girls.