In advance of The International Women’s Day March in Amsterdam, Dolle Mina’s, a Dutch feminist action group, in Utrecht are making protest boards during their monthly gathering Mina Monday. Mina’s, members of the group, say protest still is necessary just like in the seventies when they first started.
On the 8th of March feminists from all over the Netherlands will gather on the Dam square in Amsterdam to protest. The official International Women’s Day website explains that March 8th is a celebration of the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for advancing gender equality. In 2025 the Netherlands progress on gender equality is stagnating. In the Global Gender Gap Report 2025 by the World Economic Forum (WEF), the country dropped 15 places to 43rd position worldwide. Mina claire says she is sad but not surprised about those numbers.
In January of 2025 the Dolle Mina’s regrouped after 55 years. The Dolle Mina’s were founded in 1969 and gained popularity by their big public actions. They stormed a school that was only accessible for men for example. Within a few weeks the group gained thousands of members. The group fell out in the late seventies, but was reborn in 2025.
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Jet, a Dolle Mina in the Utrecht section of the action group tells me that the Dolle Mina’s regrouped because members believed that women’s rights and safety are once again under pressure. While she’s making a protest board stating: Men, hands to yourself! She talks about the first Mina Monday in Utrecht: “The room was packed with over a hundred people, we didn’t expect more than 35 people but in the end people had to stand outside because it was too busy.”
Now, almost a year later since the first gathering, there are 35 people in the room sitting behind tables making boards. Jet says: “At the beginning it sometimes was a bit overwhelming how many people showed up, now we can just talk to each other without having to scream.” She laughs a bit, “Now there is a more hard core of people who’ll always show up, on our usual gatherings there are about 50 people, I guess not everyone is feeling creative this Monday.”
Another Mina, Akke, shows her board proudly, she tells excitedly that she is totally ready for the march now. It’s the end of the evening, most Mina’s already left, the tables are messy with craft supplies. Organiser Klaartje says she is proud of how the evening went and is excited to go to the march next Sunday with the Utrecht Dolle Mina’s.
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