NZ leads marches for women's rights

Women's marches in response to Donald Trump's inauguration as US president have started with rallies in New Zealand.

Around the world, more than 1 million people are expected to attend marches to demonstrate against sexism and sexual violence and call for women's rights.

At least 2000 people turned out to the march in Auckland this morning - a bigger turnout than organisers had anticipated.

Many were carrying banners and placards as they walked from the US Consulate, near Britomart, up Queen Street to Myers Park.

Some read "Women of the world unite", "Girl Power" and "My body, My rights".

Chris Powell, who hailed from Toronto but was in New Zealand on a family holiday, said he joined the march because he wanted to support equal rights for everyone around the world.

He said the fact Donald Trump was elected worried him.

"He's not the problem, the problem is the majority of the electorate voted for him, so he is a voice for the populous and the populous makes his viewpoints OK, they make it ok to think that way.

"It's not and I think that needs to be heard.

Morgan Dalton-Mill said a lot of the comments Mr Trump had made in the lead-up to his election were not acceptable in a democratic society.

"What worries me the most is that he'll turn the world into either hate or love," she said.

Traffic on Queen Street was disrupted for a time as demonstrators moved from the footpath to the road.

However, there was no visible police presence.

Several opposition MPs, including Labour's Jacinda Ardern, the Green Party's Catherine Delahunty and NZ First's Tracey Martin were at the march.

Broadcaster Ali Mau, musician and activist Lizzie Marvelly, and gender and AUT psychology lecturer Pani Farvid all spoke to the crowd.

In Wellington about 600 protesters gathered at Parliament grounds with signs declaring solidarity with the Women's March on Washington movement.

Organiser Bette Flagler said the protest was a positive statement, expressing the importance of human rights and social justice, which had been threatened in the last few years.

Hannah Mechen, who took part in the march in Wellington, said said remarks on the Trump tape were "just one among so many horrendous, horrendous insinuations about his feelings about women."

The group heard speeches from Ms Flagler and American born Green MP Julie Anne Genter before marching to Civic Square for a rally on democratic values.

Organisers say a further 300 to 400 people were at rallies in Christchurch and Dunedin.

International protests

A Facebook plea by a Hawaii grandmother to demonstrate in response to Mr Trump's election was credited for igniting the global movement, with more than 600 marches planned.

Initially organisers wanted to highlight the potential impact of a Trump presidency on women's rights. But as momentum grew, the mission expanded to concerns about xenophobia, racism, domestic violence and the targeting of Muslims and gays.

Marchers will take to the streets of major world capitals such as London and New Delhi, but the main rally is to take place in the the US capital, Washington DC.

The National Mall could become a sea of pink after a campaign was launched to sew, crochet or knit "pussyhats" in homage to an infamous 2005 tape in which Mr Trump bragged about trying to have sex with a married woman as well as kissing and groping others.

With many celebrities distancing themselves from the Trump presidency, a host of musicians and actors have signed up to the main march, with Cher, Scarlett Johansson and Julianne Moore among the big names expected to attend.

Events are schedules at 31 locations across Canada on Saturday (local time), with 26,000 people registered to attend.

- Reuters / RNZ