My Safety, My Right, Not a Privilege!
Violence against women and girls remains one of the most widespread human rights violations across the world, affecting millions of lives and undermining efforts towards equality, human dignity and sustainable development. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), approximately one in three women globally experiences physical or sexual violence during their lifetime, often perpetrated by an intimate partner or another individual.
Women and girls continue to experience different forms of violence in homes, schools, workplaces, public spaces and increasingly in digital environments. Statistics further indicate that 25.8 per cent of women aged 15–49 have experienced physical or sexual violence from a male intimate partner or husband.
Across Africa and the Arab World, the situation remains equally concerning, with reported prevalence rates of violence against women standing at 32 per cent in African countries and 37 per cent in Arab countries.
In this day and age, one cannot help but question why violence against women and girls continues despite growing awareness, legal protections and international commitments to gender equality. Who are the perpetrators? Who is responsible for enforcing protection? Who enables these violations through silence and indifference? And, more importantly, what will it take to end this injustice?
The Perpetrators, Enablers and the Culture of Silence
Perpetrators of violence against women and girls are not always strangers. They are often intimate partners, family members, acquaintances, authority figures, online actors and individuals within positions of trust and influence.
This reality means that violence against women is not an isolated problem detached from our everyday lives. It exists within our families, institutions and communities, and sometimes those who witness it become silent spectators.
Indifference, silence and the failure to hold perpetrators accountable allow violence to persist. When communities dismiss abuse as a private family matter, blame survivors or protect perpetrators because of their social status, they contribute to an environment in which injustice becomes normalised.
Several underlying factors contribute to this problem, including patriarchal social norms, unequal power relations, harmful cultural practices that promote male dominance, substance abuse, limited access to education and previous exposure to childhood abuse.
These factors, however, should never be used to justify violence. Rather, they demonstrate the need to address the social attitudes, behaviours and institutional weaknesses that allow abuse to continue.
Across the African continent, girls remain particularly vulnerable to sexual violence, female genital mutilation and child marriage. Available estimates indicate that one in five children experiences rape or sexual assault before the age of 18, while child marriage continues to affect millions of young women. Such violations rob girls of their childhood, education, dignity and opportunities to determine their futures.
The Growing Threat of Digital Violence
As technology becomes increasingly integrated into everyday life, violence against women and girls is also taking new forms.
Online and digital violence has become a growing concern, particularly for female journalists, women in politics, public figures and other women who participate actively in public discussions.
They increasingly face sextortion, blackmail, the creation and circulation of fake sexual images, cyberstalking, online impersonation, account hacking and other forms of technology-facilitated abuse.
These violations can cause serious psychological, emotional and reputational harm, while discouraging women from expressing their opinions, pursuing leadership positions and participating freely in public life.
The digital space should be an avenue for education, innovation, communication and empowerment, not another environment where women are intimidated, exploited and silenced.
Addressing gender-based violence must therefore extend beyond physical spaces to include stronger digital protection mechanisms, responsible technology use, public awareness and accountability for online perpetrators.
The Cost of Gender-Based Violence
The consequences of gender-based violence extend far beyond the immediate physical harm inflicted on survivors. They affect women’s physical and reproductive health, mental and emotional well-being, economic independence and social participation.
Survivors may experience physical injuries, unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, depression, anxiety, trauma and social isolation. Some are forced to abandon their education, leave employment or withdraw from opportunities that could improve their economic circumstances.
Children who witness or experience violence may also suffer lasting psychological and emotional consequences, increasing the likelihood that cycles of violence will continue across generations.
At the community level, gender-based violence weakens social cohesion, limits women’s participation in leadership and economic activities and undermines efforts towards inclusive development.
A society cannot achieve sustainable development while a significant proportion of its population continues to live under the threat of violence, discrimination and abuse.
A Collective Responsibility to End Violence
The Afro-Arab Youth Council (AAYC) strongly condemns all forms of discrimination, violence and abuse against women and girls. Gender-based violence violates fundamental human rights and undermines women’s ability to participate fully as leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs and drivers of sustainable development.
As the world marks the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, governments, civil society organisations, development partners, private institutions and communities must move beyond awareness campaigns and translate their commitments into practical interventions.
First, governments must strengthen and enforce comprehensive laws and policies that criminalise domestic violence, sexual abuse and other forms of gender-based violence. Legal frameworks must be accompanied by effective investigation, prosecution and accountability mechanisms that ensure perpetrators are held responsible for their actions.
Second, institutions must strengthen gender equality policies and establish mechanisms that protect women from discrimination, harassment and exploitation. Workplaces, schools and other public institutions should provide safe reporting channels and ensure that survivors can seek justice without intimidation or retaliation.
Third, survivors must have access to responsive justice systems and supportive services, including psychosocial counselling, medical care, legal assistance, shelters and rehabilitation programmes. These services are essential in helping survivors recover, regain confidence and reintegrate into their communities.
Fourth, communities must actively challenge harmful social norms and engage men and boys as partners in preventing violence. Gender equality should not be treated as a responsibility belonging to women alone. Men and boys must be encouraged to promote respectful relationships, reject harmful stereotypes and challenge behaviours that perpetuate abuse.
This transformation should also be reflected in everyday family and community practices, including shared household responsibilities, collaborative financial planning, supporting women’s ambitions in education, business and leadership, and joint decision-making on family planning and other important matters.
Finally, young people and youth organisations must be actively involved in advocacy, awareness creation and community mobilisation. Young people have the potential to influence attitudes, challenge harmful practices and promote a generation that values equality, mutual respect and human dignity.
Breaking the Silence, Protecting Every Woman and Girl
Ending violence against women and girls requires more than condemning perpetrators after violations have occurred. It demands a deliberate transformation of attitudes, behaviours, relationships and institutions that allow violence to thrive.
We must stop treating violence as a private matter that should be concealed to protect family reputations or social standing. We must stop blaming survivors and start holding perpetrators accountable. Above all, we must recognise that remaining silent in the face of injustice can allow abuse to continue.
As Africa and the Arab World pursue peace, unity and sustainable development, the protection of women and girls must remain central to that vision. No woman should be denied her dignity, freedom, education, leadership or economic opportunities because of violence or discrimination.
My safety is my right, not a privilege. Every woman and girl deserves to live free from violence, fear and injustice. It is our collective responsibility to make this a reality.
The author works with the Afro-Arab Youth Council (AAYC).
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