Today marks the International Day of No Violence Against Women and the start of the 16 Days of Activism campaign. The Global theme for this year’s campaign is “UNiTE! ACTIVISM TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN & GIRLS!”

At the Southern Africa Trust, we center a gender justice agenda across all our work, acknowledging and seeking to effectively respond to the gendered inequalities that perpetuate and feminize poverty. Gender inequality and gender-based violence remain prevalent in the southern African region and across the continent. We partner with others to support activities that amplify the voice and agency of marginalized women and girls across the region. We support and collaborate with a range of formations, networks and organizations to establish and strengthen civil society alliances to advance gender justice at regional and national levels. 

Aligning with the UNiTE campaign’s main principles, the Southern Africa Trust is committed to working with civil society, particularly feminist, gender justice and women’s rights organisations in the region to spur and secure policy changes that achieve transformative impacts on reducing violence against women and girls in the household, community, workplace and public spheres. The Southern Africa Trust kickstarted its campaign partnering with others to convene national dialogues on gender-based violence in Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia. The initiative is designed to enhance the coordination of SCOs at national and regional levels to actively unite against gender-based violence. Women’s rights movements and activists have led the fight against GBV, and their work is the bedrock for pushing for accountability and making sure that promises made by duty-bearers become a reality. A world without violence against women and girls is indeed possible and achieving it demands courage, coordination and unity of purpose at all levels. Unite, play your part, Act and Do not look away!