Thousands of people from around the world marched past the White House and the International Monetary Fund on Sunday afternoon, demanding an end to gender inequality and poverty against women. The participants in the World March of Women 2000, which was sponsored by the National Organization of Women (NOW), congregated at the Ellipse for a heated rally following the procession.

Various speakers during the rally repeatedly encouraged women to vote in the Nov. 7 presidential election, emphasizing the potential effect that their votes could have on keeping abortion legal. Since the march occurred at such a pivotal time in United States politics, many believe that it has a very good chance of having an impact on the November presidential election.

“The World March of Women 2000 will have an unprecedented impact in this country as activists carry the enthusiasm, energy and issues from the march back to their communities and to the U.S. polls in November,” NOW President Patricia Ireland said in a press release.

Anti-Republican sentiment at both the march and the rally was high. According to an article in Monday’s Washington Post, a man climbed a light post during the procession and ripped off two “Bush-Cheney for President” posters. Another activist even attempted to tear signs down with a crowbar.

Demonstrators at the rally were equally enthused. An anti-Bush activist was parading with a “Stop the Bull-” sign and several women were protesting with slogans written on their stomachs and pins that read “Keep your laws off my body.”

Rally attendees were entertained by a variety of international speakers, including Afghan poet Zieba Shorish-Shamely, who recited a poem about global injustice entitled “I am Entombed Alive.” Other speakers included representatives from the Association of Iranian Women, the Haitian Women of Miami and the Kensington Welfare Rights Union.

Cheri Honkala, a long-time advocate of women’s rights and speaker for the Kensington Welfare Rights Union, told demonstrators to stand up and face the problem of poverty in their daily lives. “Our homeless brothers are close to us,” she said in her speech. Honkala continued to lead the audience into an animated chant of “Let’s end poverty!”

Musical performers such as BETTY, an alternative rock group, and the Lesbian and Gay Chorus of Washington D.C. rocked the afternoon away and enthused the audience with their performances. Nuevo Paraguay, a traditional Paraguayan dance group, also performed for the receptive audience.

The World March of Women 2000, which began this March, has had several demonstrations in different parts of the world since its origination. Today the global campaign will culminate with an international rally outside of the United Nations in New York.

According to a NOW newsletter, U.S. participants in this effort are attempting to eradicate violence and poverty against women on a large scale. “We won’t let the Republicans eliminate poverty by letting the poor die of starvation, exposure and untreated diseases. We are not willing to tolerate a system that punishes women for being single mothers – while the same system rewards deadbeat dads. We will not accept attacks on women’s access to birth control. And we are not willing to let George W. Bush appoint the next justices to the Supreme Court,” NOW’s Action Vice President Loretta Kain said.