Mozambique: School Communities Unite to End Gender-Based Violence and Child Marriage in Mozambique

Sitting on a bench in the courtyard of Madzicuera Secondary School, teachers Flora Senguaio and Eugénio Francisco discuss how they work with their students to eliminate… Read more »

Nigeria: From Surviving to Thriving - Vocational Training Is Helping to End Violence Against Women and Girls in Nigeria

LAGOS, Nigeria - Women and girls face many barriers to education, health care and decent work. These barriers perpetuate a state of vulnerability for women and girls, making them… Read more »

Liberia: Supporting Courts to Provide Justice for Survivors of Sexual Violence

GRAND GEDEH COUNTY, Liberia - Badio Quiah has been the Clerk of Court for the Ministry of Justice at the 7th Judicial Circuit Court in Grand Gedeh County for over 15 years. He has… Read more »

Mozambique: 'Girls Should Be Able to Focus Only On Their Studies' - How Activism Changes Girls' Lives in Mozambique

With notebooks in her arms and a bright smile, Maria*, 16, is getting ready for another school day. She is in the 9th grade in Mogovolas district, Nampula province, Mozambique, and… Read more »

Mozambique: 'Reclaiming My Dignity' - Breaking the Cycle of Violence in Mozambique

Sarudzai Saize, 26, was able to break the cycle of violence and become an inspiration to other women in her village. She lives in her own house, runs her hairdresser business and… Read more »

Mozambique: 'Everyone Said I Couldn't Be a Mechanic, but I Can Be Whatever I Want' - Deconstructing Gender Roles in Mozambique

With the support of the Spotlight Initiative, Dulce Santos challenged professional gender roles and trained as a mechanic. Today she shares her workspace with five other… Read more »

Mozambique: The Impact of Economic Empowerment On the Lives of Women and Girls in Mozambique

In Mozambique, with the support of the Spotlight Initiative, thousands of women and girls have joined Village Savings and Loan Associations, enabling them to open and manage their… Read more »

Niger: In Niger, Equal Opportunities for Women and Girls With Disabilities Benefits the Whole Community

With a smile on her face, Oumal khayr Abdoussalam, 30, breastfeeds her young child. In addition to caring for her baby, Ms. Abdoussalam teaches religious sciences to 40 young girls… Read more »

Mozambique: 'We Can Eliminate Violence If We Work Together' - Multi-Sectoral Teams Are Eliminating Gender-Based Violence in Mozambique

Judite Nota is 36 years old and has been a Mozambican Government employee for over 13 years. She has always worked to eliminate gender-based violence (GBV) as her primary… Read more »

Uganda: How Male Champions Are Helping to End Gender-Based Violence in Uganda

Under the Spotlight Initiative, UN Women and the Uganda Police Force engage male vendors on ending violence against women and girls as part of a 16 Days of Activism police caravan… Read more »

Niger: In Niger, Economic Empowerment for Women and Girls With Disabilities

Less than two years ago, Hady Rabou and her young child begged on the streets during the day and spent their nights in the compound of the regional hospital building in the… Read more »

Liberia: Meet the Liberian Police Inspector Working to End Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

Inspector Muna Meah is a Commander in the Liberia National Police Force. For the past seven years, she has investigated cases of violence against women and children and supported… Read more »

Nigeria: Peer Education - Ending the Cycle of Violence in Nigeria

SOKOTO, Nigeria - When Aminat, 15, joined peer education sessions at her secondary school, she had already been promised in marriage to a much older man. Early marriage was common… Read more »

South Sudan: Once Traumatized, a South Sudanese Refugee Helps Other Women and Children Experiencing Violence

WEST NILE REGION, Uganda - Rose Mary Tiep, 32, fled violence in South Sudan five years ago. After receiving Spotlight Initiative-supported counselling, she became a volunteer… Read more »

Africa: 'Let's Sing, Cut No More' - Using Music to End FGM in Africa

After four months of hard work, Sally Njie and Praise Gimba are proud to release their new song. 'Cut No More' delivers a catchy melody but it also shares an important message:… Read more »

Malawi: In Malawi, Traditional Authorities Are Helping to Eliminate Child Marriage and Get Girls Back to School

MACHINGA, Malawi - "We have so far dissolved 81 marriages under the chiefs' forum," says Traditional Authority Mizinga proudly. "All the girls are back in school". As Traditional… Read more »

Africa: Why measuring violence against women matters - improving data in the Pacific

Amelia Tungi is Chief Statistician for the Social Statistics Division of the Fiji Bureau of Statistics. She is one of 21 participants who recently completed "kNOwVAWdata", a… Read more »

Uganda: In Uganda, Award-Winning App Developers Are Helping to End FGM

What if girls and women who are at risk of or have survived female genital mutilation (FGM) could receive the right services and support right when they need them? This challenge… Read more »

Malawi: In Malawi, a Survivor of Child Marriage Looks Forward to a New Beginning

When she was 15, Yensen Nyirenda fell in love with a boy two years her senior. By her 16th birthday, she was getting ready to be married as the relationship had resulted in a… Read more »

Niger: In Niger, Civil Society Groups Are Helping to 'Put Women and Girls in the Driving Seat'

Amadou Moumouni Soumaila, 37, has been a gender equality and human rights activist for two decades. He is a member of the civil society organization (CSO) Comité Nigerien… Read more »

Nigeria: In Nigeria, One Man's Mission to End Violence Against Women and Girls

"A lot of our men see wife-beating as normal, because some of our cultural practices make it easy to tolerate such behaviour," said 19-year-old Idris Oloruntade, as he left home to… Read more »

Niger: It Takes a Village - Village Protection Committees Intercept Child Marriages in Niger

Two seated girls smiling Read more »