The signs said it all.

Colourfully decorated placards bearing the words "Women Unite”, "End violence to women now”, "No sex without consent”, and "Take back the night”, among others, were held up high in the hands of the women and children who made their way along the riverfront and downtown area on Friday night.

The occasion was the annual Take Back the Night march.

The event is part of an international movement held each year for women to assert the right to walk safely in their own streets.

Everyone was invited to attend the post-march celebration at The Old Fire Hall afterwards.

The march, however, was restricted to women and kids-only as a way of empowering women to do it on their own and in an effort of solidarity, organizers explained in an interview last week.

Other signs read, "I don't trust the RCMP” , "Break the silence of domestic violence” and "Men can stop”.

As the crowd gathered for the start of the march at Rotary Peace Park, former NDP justice minister Lois Moorcroft addressed the group, many already displaying their homemade placards.

A long-time advocate for women's rights in various capacities, Moorcroft started off by saying how happy it made her to get ready to walk along the Yukon River at night.

"I love the night,” she said. "I love being here tonight and feeling safe to walk along the river bank in the company of women.

"I claim the right for myself, for my daughter, for every woman alive to walk safely alone at night and to walk alone safely during the day.”

While Moorcroft claimed that right, she also argued it's unfortunate women don't yet have that right.

"Over the years, many of us have gathered here by the water, by this pavilion and have sung or wept or raged or drummed or marched here to commemorate the women who've been killed by men, to remember the women and to demand justice, and there are women who don't have the right to be here with us tonight,” she said.

"We think of them and pray for their safety,” she said.

Moorcroft urged participants to spend a moment in silence "to feel the peace of this moment of being here united in our strengths as we remember and honour the women who are not with us.”

After a quiet moment, Moorcroft explained further what keeps her coming out for the annual walk: to resist the fear of male violence in stating men have no right to use or abuse women's bodies.

"Because violence against women is a crime,” she said.

"All women have the right to live in peace. We claim the right to walk without fear. We will continue to claim our rights until we have fully won the freedom to walk alone wherever we want to go.

"Tonight, we will also feel our strength grow by marching together and by knowing there is a global sisterhood of women claiming our right to personal safety and all of our human rights.”

Moorcroft then went on to recall the history of the march, going back to 1976 and the first international tribunal on crimes against women held in Brussels.

The first candlelight march of 2,000 women from 40 countries that began from the tribunal has turned into the worldwide annual Take Back the Night March.

"Our feet are made to carry us through our lives, walking without feeling scared of the men who mean harm and the men who do harm women in our communities,” Moorcroft said. "We march in company with women all over the world, taking a stand against male violence.”

She went on to stress that women should feel safe every day and night.

"Tonight, if we look over our shoulders, it will be to spot a friend, not to check if we are in danger,” she said.

"We have each other's backs and we will continue to march because we have to. We will continue to work for the world of peace and freedom and justice that we believe in.

"We will continue to demand that our leaders and our police and our governments respect our laws, protect women's lives and honour women's rights.”

As Moorcroft wrapped up her speech with thank-yous in various languages to participants, applause spread through the crowd.

The marchers then began weaving along the river and through the downtown area to The Old Fire Hall for snacks and live music.