Ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, women in 143 districts across 20 states across India took to the streets to call for an end to “hate and violence.”

The Women’s March for Change saw diverse communities of women and transgender persons, including farmers, artists, lawyers and activists coming together to take out rallies in cities and towns like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad.

In a statement, the organisers of the march said it was aimed at “uniting voices of dissent against the targeted attacks on the Constitutional rights of women in India.” They also called on the participants to fight against the crackdown on dissent. “Women’s March, India is an inclusive platform for diverse communities of women who seek to dismantle the current regime of oppression and strive towards a just and peaceful future,” the statement read.

Visuals from the marches across the country showed participants holding placards and shouting slogans highlighting issues like casteism and patriarchy.