Small women's rights organizations play a vital role in combating gender-based violence and in making progress towards making the African Great Lakes countries (Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Burundi) more equitable and eliminating violence against women and girls in this African sub-region. Despite the crucial role of feminist activism in ending violence against women, there is (in the African Great Lakes countries) a worrying increase in cases of violence and anti-rights movements and hostile reactions towards women and girls who defend women's fundamental rights. This is why Mwanamke Fund advocates the five reasons why it is essential to fund small women's organizations to promote female leadership, empower women and end violence against women and girls in the African Great Lakes countries:
Provide Survivors with Lifesaving Services
Women's organizations play a vital role in providing services to survivors and victims of gender-based violence, which remains the most widespread form of human rights violation worldwide, affecting at least one in three women. Critical support services for survivors of gender-based violence include shelters, counseling, legal assistance, and helplines. These services provide a lifeline to survivors and help them rebuild their lives. Through education, training, and community initiatives, women's organizations build women's resilience and self-confidence, which can be essential in breaking the cycle of violence.
Promote political change
Research shows that the presence of a strong and autonomous feminist movement is the most important factor in advancing the fight against violence against women and girls, both at the national and international policymaking levels.
Countries with stronger feminist movements tend to have more comprehensive policies on violence against women than those in weaker countries, thanks to the tireless advocacy of women's rights organizations, which often receive very little funding.
In contrast, countries with weaker women's movements have stronger biases against gender equality and women's empowerment, which demonstrates the importance of the work of women's rights organizations in transforming social norms and power relations. Women's organizations often conduct research and collect data on violence against women and girls, highlighting the prevalence and different forms of violence in different contexts. This research is essential to enable policymakers and service providers to develop effective strategies and allocate resources to combat gender-based violence.
Reducing Gender-Based Violence
Growing evidence shows that the efforts of women's rights organizations are reducing gender-based violence. Despite this, they remain chronically underfunded: a significant increase in funding for women's rights organizations is desperately needed. Local women's rights organizations know their communities best and have a track record of using evidence-based approaches to reduce violence and transform the lives of women around the world, especially marginalized and racialized women, who are most at risk of violence.
A crucial role in humanitarian emergencies
A report by the United Nations Development Programme and UN Women showed that countries with strong feminist movements took an average of three more steps to address violence against women during the pandemic than those without. The number of women and girls living in conflict settings increased by 50 percent, making millions of women and girls around the world more vulnerable to gender-based violence.
Research shows that positive progress towards gender equality can be achieved when women actively participate in conflict and emergency responses, and when humanitarian action focuses on women's rights organizations and empowered groups.
Women's organizations urgently need additional funding
The urgent need to fund women's organizations fighting violence against women and girls cannot be overstated. Women's rights organizations are on the front lines of the fight for a more equitable world free from violence. Many women's rights organizations working on the ground, including those working with survivors, also suffer from a chronic lack of funding. In 2022, countries allocated US$204 billion in official development assistance; however, barely 0.20% of this considerable amount was dedicated to reducing gender-based violence. While achieving gender equality and preventing violence worldwide remains urgent, governments and institutions must recognize, strengthen, and invest in the tireless efforts of women's organizations.
Communications Team
