Vaid continued: “It should not be a part of normal life, here or anywhere. So I guess I’m here because my religion motivates me to fight. It motivates me to fight for equality for justice and for peace.

“I’m here to help build on the legacy of the suffragettes, to build a movement that is inclusive of black feminists, of working-class feminists and of faith-inspired feminists. I’m simply saying either we fight for all, or we all fall. And looking around us today with all the women we’ve brought from Birmingham and Blackburn and other parts of the country, and all those women who can’t be with us today, I know I am looking at fighters. Fighters who are all saying time’s up – and that’s why we still march.”

As the crowd erupted into cheers and applause, a visibly moved Perkins said: “That was one of the most comprehensive answers I could have possibly had to my question.

“Thank you so much, that was incredible.”

It absolutely was.

To see all of the most inspirational, powerful and uplifting moments from CARE International’s annual #March4Women as it happened – check out our liveblog right here.

Image: iStock

This is why feminism is so important to Muslim women