Combating gender-based violence in Africa

Combating gender-based violence in Africa

Efforts to combat gender-based violence in Africa have evolved from awareness-raising measures to high-level legislative initiatives and technological innovations. From early 2026, the focus will shift increasingly towards binding regional treaties and jointly developed digital tools. A significant momentum has built up, linking continental leadership, national reforms, civil society engagement and international partnerships. Gender-based violence remains a widespread crisis in Africa, rooted in patriarchal norms, inequality, conflict, poverty and harmful traditional practices. It encompasses physical, sexual, emotional and economic violence, femicide, child marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM) and, increasingly, technology-enabled forms. The prevalence is alarmingly high. In sub-Saharan Africa, around 42% of women experience physical or sexual violence during their lifetime. Examples include: South Africa: Over 35% of women aged 18 and over have experienced physical and/or sexual violence, of whom 33.1% have experienced physical violence and almost 10% sexual violence. Rates of femicide and intimate partner violence are extremely high; crime statistics for 2024/25 recorded a significant increase. Kenya: Around 40% of women report intimate partner violence (emotional, physical or psychological), and 34% of women aged between 15 and 49 have experienced physical violence. In 2023, Femicide Count Kenya recorded 152 homicides – the highest figure in the last five years. Representatives of the non-profit organisation, which only records reported cases, estimate that the actual number of homicides is significantly higher. In a published statement, Femicide Count Kenya criticised the government’s inaction. The President has promised to protect women’s lives, but these promises are empty words as long as femicides continue to run rampant. Law enforcement and accountability are urgently needed. Since the start of the year, there have been at least four femicides. Two of these attracted public attention, including the murder of 26-year-old starlet Wahu on 4 January. She was stabbed to death by a man believed to be part of a criminal gang whose members blackmail and rape women they approach via dating sites. Uganda and other countries in East and Southern Africa: one in three women aged between 15 and 49 has experienced intimate partner violence; in some areas, child marriage and female genital mutilation are widespread. These figures highlight how gender-based violence is linked to conflict, displacement, economic disadvantage and cultural attitudes that sometimes justify violence. There are no comprehensive aggregate figures on femicides across Africa for the last five years (2021–2025), as data collection is inconsistent and under-reporting is widespread, particularly in cases of killings by partners or family members, which account for the majority of cases. Only a few estimates are available. UNODC and UN Women provide the most reliable regional estimates for femicides by partners or family members, the main type of homicide recorded. In 2023, Africa recorded the highest absolute number worldwide, with 21,700 victims (range: 18,600–24,600), corresponding to a rate of 2.9 per 100,000 female inhabitants. Similarly high figures were reported in previous years: according to some reports, around 20,000 in 2022, although precise model figures such as those for 2023 are only available in more recent publications. No aggregated, multi-year totals are published from UN sources, and due to data gaps in many countries, trends across the entire continent cannot be reliably tracked. The data is often country-specific and is rising in countries such as Kenya: 170 femicides in 2024 (twice as many as the 95 in 2023) and at least 220 in 2025. South Africa has historically had rates five times higher than the global average. Estimates are subject to considerable uncertainty due to inadequate reporting; only a fraction of countries provide detailed data on femicides, a 50% decline since 2020. The broadening of the definition of femicide (beyond domestic/intimate partner violence) leads to unknown cases, as observed in France (an additional 5%) and South Africa (9%). Improved data collection via UN frameworks is strongly recommended. What has been done? New legal frameworks (2025–2026) have been established. The most significant recent milestone is the African Union Convention on the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls (AU-CEVAWG), which was adopted in February 2025. Furthermore, it was decided to combat modern threats. Unlike previous protocols, this convention explicitly addresses cyber violence, femicide and sexual harassment in the workplace. Victim-centred justice – it obliges member states to provide free legal advice, specialised ‘victim-friendly courts’ and comprehensive medical and psychological support. Then there is the ratification initiative. Current efforts in 2026 are focused on encouraging individual states to ratify and transpose this convention into national law. It is not that simple; there are still some challenges remaining. Progress is being made, yet significant hurdles remain. And these hurdles are in vain Although laws are being passed in the capitals, their enforcement in rural or conflict-affected areas remains inconsistent. Grassroots, women-led organisations still receive only a fraction of the funding received by large international NGOs. South Africa’s classification of gender-based violence as a ‘national disaster’ in 2024 highlights that the scale of violence in some regions is outpacing the current rate of intervention. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2024/jan/18/femicide-in-kenya-a-national-crisis-say-rights-groups