She said she had been amazed by the numbers who had gathered at the starting point in Jesus Green.

“I don’t have words for it – the amount of support being shown for our movement is just exponential,” she said.

“The other cities, as well, have had such a good turnout.

“It is time for us to make a stand and I think this is testament to that.”

Ms Valentine said those on the march were worried about the erosion and lack of women’s rights across the world, particularly in countries including Afghanistan, Iran and the US.

“Our aim is a world where everyone is equal,” she said.

The marches have been held amid increasing reports of violence against women, described as an “epidemic” by police chiefs.

In September, the UK government said it was treating violence against women and girls (VAWG) as a “national emergency, external“.

It vowed to outline its strategy to halve the crimes later this year.

In 2024, the National Police Chiefs’ Council said more than a million VAWG-related crimes were recorded, external during 2022/23 – making up about a fifth of all police recorded crime.

It also said offences had risen by 37% between 2018 and 2023.

One in every six murders related to domestic abuse in 2022/23, with suspected victim suicides following domestic abuse rising year-on-year, it also reported.