Blues skies and sunshine. Perfect weather for a demonstration. A group of 10 young women, some white masks and a red banner made up the troop for our 50 million missing women campaign, which we took across Newcastle through the hustle and bustle of the Geordies that had emerged in town to get their long awaited dose of Vitamin D.

After meeting at the top of Newcastle’s busiest shopping street, we headed to the main hub of Northumbria University to talk to some students about our campaign and raise awareness for International Women’s Day. Taking our crew from fantastic film company for young people Headliners with us, we chatted with students about why we had interrupted their lunch on a sunny Monday speaking for those Indian women who disappeared because they were born the wrong sex.

It was hard going, but each of us revealed such facts as these; almost 7000 women are murdered each year because of disputes over dowry payments, despite the fact that they are illegal. Ctrl.Alt.Shift last year was moved by such atrocities and took to the streets in London to peacefully demonstrate as we did in Newcastle on Monday.

The banner we so proudly took down Northumberland street, to Grey’s Monument, down Grey Street, along the Quayside and to the Millennium bridge asked the public to remember those 50 million missing women. On the iconic bridge we joined hundreds of women representing the collective of women’s groups and NGOs across the North East for some inspiring words.

You can sign this petition to support the campaign that now estimates 63 million women have been killed over three generations of neglect. To a particular demonstrator, the issue is close to her heart. Rachelle Whillis went to India for 10 weeks with overseas volunteering experience Platform2 last year,

“International Women’s Day was an amazing experience… The weather was great, which brought the students out so we could spread our message and speak for the women of India. We got a lot of attention with our masks. Meeting up with other women’s groups on the Millenium bridge was the highlight of the day- it really united everyone and there was an optimistic buzz in the air despite campaigning about a harrowing issue”.