Africans Rising calls on African Governments  to End Femicide and all forms of Gender based violence

Recalling the commitments of the Generation Equality Forum and the recently concluded Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York, we urge African governments to prioritize the fight against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and ensure justice for affected persons.

Gathered here in Pan-African solidarity, in all our diversity, we are deeply disturbed by the rising cases of femicide across the continent. We highlight the case of a 17-year-old girl Gaala Aden from Daadab Refugee Camp in Northern Kenya who was mercilessly butchered for rejecting her 54-year-old suitor. Similarly, we condemn the brutal attack on Mellen Mogaka by her in-laws in Kisii, Kenya for refusing to adhere to cultural demands. While we acknowledge the significance of culture in African societies, we firmly assert that cultural and religious practices must never be used as justifications for violating the rights of women and girls in all their diversity and multiple identities.

Our attention is also drawn to similar distressing cases in Zambia and South Africa. In particular, we call for justice for seven-year-old Cwecwe from South Africa, who was defiled and has yet received justice. Africans Rising demands that the South African government take immediate action to hold the perpetrators accountable under the law. #JusticeForCwecwe

We, therefore, call for thorough investigations, swift apprehensions, and fair judicial processes to address these horrific crimes in the affected countries. Furthermore, we urge the protection of women and girls in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), who continue to suffer various forms of Gender-Based Violence amid ongoing conflicts, yet receive no justice.

Africans Rising remains steadfast in its commitment to advancing gender equality and fostering solidarity among women across Africa and the Diaspora for the betterment of our continent.