KEY POINTS
- Gender-based violence persists in Africa due to cultural norms and weak legal enforcement.
- COVID-19 lockdowns dramatically increased reports of GBV, especially in South Africa and Nigeria.
- Grassroots movements are advocating for reforms, but progress in combating GBV remains slow.
Gender-based violence (GBV) remains a silent killer in Africa. This epidemic is adversely impacting millions of women and girls. The expressions of GBV are sexual violence, physical violence and domestic violence.
Although the continent has greatly advanced in creating a better society for women in areas such as education and health, GBV is largely unchecked due to deeply entrenched cultural standards, conscious and unconscious beliefs that women are inferior and weak legal enforcement.
The COVID-19 pandemic and rising GBV cases
Gender-based Violence got worse during the COVID-19 pandemic. Families all over Africa had to stay indoors during the lockdown. Many people battled with mental issues during this period. A lot of people lost their jobs. This sudden shift in realities placed women at the receiving end.
This state of frustration further strengthened the hold of GBV on women. Women were trapped at home with their abusers. In South Africa, for instance, a national counselling hotline called Lifeline SA saw a 500 percent increase in the number of GBV-related calls in the first two months after the lockdown started. Also in Nigeria, there was a 149 percent rise in reports of GBV from March to April 2020.
The Lead of the Human Rights Watch in Nairobi, Agnes Odhiambo reported, “The pandemic is not the first time Kenya has witnessed increases in violence against women and girls during crises. The government should have anticipated such an increase, but tragically as in the past, it turned a blind eye and failed to protect women and girls against violence.”
Real-life impact: The #JusticeforUWa movement
In Nigeria, the #JusticeforUWa movement commanded the attention of the world. The movement was a result of the death of Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, a 22-year-old girl who was raped and murdered in a church in 2020. Her gruesome death led to widespread protests, calling for stronger laws to protect women from GBV.
Slow progress despite grassroots efforts
Despite the abuse and agony that women go through, governments in Africa have been complacent in the battle against GBV.
Many African nations have signed treaties like the Maputo Protocol, with the goal of eliminating discrimination against women but the enforcement of these agreements remains very weak.
Efforts to eliminate GBV are increasing but progress is slow. Movements like “She Leads,” in Uganda aim to empower women and young girls to oppose abuse and advocate for stronger legal protections.
Also in Zambia, there are NGOs that educate communities about the dangers of practices like child marriage, which leads to GBV in many cases.
There is still more to be done in giving women and girls total liberation from the shackles of male dominance and Gender-based violence. Governments must place importance on stronger legal frameworks, providing support for victims and engaging communities in culture reengineering
Without systemic change, millions of African women and girls will continue to suffer in silence.
