Women's march in Kelowna draws a small crowd

About 20 participants gathered outside Kelowna's City Hall waiting for the organizer of the women's march to arrive today.

The group had responded to a Facebook event in partnership with March On Canada - an event taking place across the country.

Wynn Hartfelder said she texted the organizers earlier this morning asking where everyone was, but didn't receive an answer.

Eventually, Hartfelder and two other women took the reins and led a short march down Water Street followed by an impromptu discussion around women's issues in Canada and the Okanagan.

One participant acknowledged that women have a lot to be thankful for in Canada and that's what could be contributing to the low turnout.

Hartfelder, program coordinator of the Vernon Women's Transition House Society, said she was impacted by the MeToo movement.

"I think we need women’s rights to matter with all the sexual assault that’s going on. It’s important that we stand up for women’s rights and women aren’t shamed. It needs to be reported."

Helen Repole is a welfare fraud investigator and she works with similar clientele as Hartfelder.

"We do work with poverty and with sexual assault," she said, adding that sexual abuse "comes from the womb - it’s generational."

Another participant talked about the need for cheaper daycare options so moms can afford to work.

Affordable housing was another hot topic and the idea that some policies or a lack of policy can keep women in poverty.

Gareth Munro was one of three men attending the event. He said he has several friends who are powerful women and he's happy to support them.

"I like to see people support other people," said the 21-year-old. "It’s kind of nice to be part of bigger things sometimes."

When he hears that men or women disagree with the march he tells them to "relax".

"It doesn't have to be threatening to someone else just because you don’t particularly feel like you’re part of that cause.

"You could just not be part of that cause. You don’t have to partake."

But prior to talking with his girlfriends, he admits there were a lot of issues he was oblivious about.

"The amount of women who have had people put things in their drinks is something that surprises me a lot," he said.

But he wasn't aware until he talked to his friends and they responded with, ‘Yeah, that’s happened to me, that’s happened to me.'

"That’s not something you just see in the news, it's something that happens every day, all the time."

Women's Marches took place all across North America and in 85 different countries in the name of equality.

Here's a series of photos chronicling today's women's marches from various locations.

The Women's March draws massive crowds across North America