March 8th, International Women’s Day, is not merely a historical commemoration or a symbolic date; it is, above all, a reminder that true equality remains an unfinished task. Madrid is not immune to this reality. The formal equality recognized in law has not yet translated into effective equality of opportunities. Wage gaps, the feminization of poverty, the burden of care, and underrepresentation in certain spheres of power continue to mark the lives of thousands of women in Madrid.
The Unfinished Agenda: Why 8M Still Matters in Madrid
Therefore, 8M is not a date for complacency. It is a meeting point between memory and future: a memory of the women who paved the way against discrimination, and a future for generations unwilling to inherit the same inequalities. In a context where discourses questioning feminism and trivializing gender violence are resurfacing, advocating for equality is not an ideological slogan; it is a defense of democracy itself.
Madrid has a responsibility to lead this transformation. The feminist struggle in our city has historically connected with the real problems of everyday life: access to housing, precarious employment, the social organization of care, and the unwanted loneliness of many elderly women. To speak of feminism in Madrid is to speak of neighborhoods, public services, and a city model that places equality at the center of decision-making.
A Troubling Shift in Municipal Policies
Precisely because of this capacity for social articulation, the direction municipal policies have taken in recent years is particularly concerning. What we are witnessing is not just a lack of ambition, but a progressive political erasure of equality as a city priority.
Madrid has moved from having a territorial network of Equality Spaces that worked on prevention, empowerment, and community intervention, to a model of Comprehensive Women’s Care Centers (CIAM) that dilutes the feminist approach and replaces it with a merely assistance-based vision. Resources have been cut, participation spaces weakened, and equality relegated to a secondary position within the municipal organizational chart. The discourse is not eliminated, but it is emptied of content. Equality is not formally denied, but its transformative capacity is deactivated.
Adding to this is the outsourcing of these services to contracting companies, which has led to precarious working conditions for many of their employees, with low wages and recurring conflicts that have resulted in strikes and mobilizations. This situation not only affects those who sustain the service; it directly impacts the quality and continuity of care for women, weakening a system that should be a pillar of promotion, empowerment, and protection.
The PSOE’s Ambitious Feminist Agenda for Madrid
In response to this drift, the PSOE in the Madrid City Council advocates for an ambitious and transformative feminist agenda. We propose recovering and expanding the municipal network of Equality Spaces in all 21 districts, with direct public management and a solid community orientation. These spaces must once again be meeting points for prevention, training, and participation, also open to youth through feminist schools that work on equality from an early age. We propose the remunicipalization of these services as an essential measure to strengthen their public character, guarantee stability for professional teams, and restore coherence to policies that require continuity and specialization.
Beyond Symbolism: A Call to Action
March 8th is not just a date to celebrate progress; it is a call to sustain and expand it. In a world where rights can quickly recede, feminism reminds us that equality is not an achieved state, but a process that demands political will, resources, and social commitment.
Madrid cannot resign itself to effective equality between women and men being a distant horizon. It cannot accept that being born a woman continues to condition access to employment, income, or personal time. Madrid must be a benchmark for brave and effective public policies that reduce gender gaps and improve the lives of women in Madrid and all citizens.
Therefore, this 8M, we take to the streets to dye Madrid purple, to turn every neighborhood into a space for vindication and hope. Taking to the streets is not a symbolic gesture: it is to affirm that we will not accept setbacks, that we will not normalize inequality, and that we will not allow feminism to be silenced or blurred. Every right conquered was born from collective mobilization. Every future advance will depend on our ability to organize, to raise our voices, and to sustain a firm and transformative feminist agenda. Because without feminism, there is no full democracy.
Reyes Maroto is the spokesperson for the PSOE in the Madrid City Council.
