Africa: Meet Five Activists Building a Brighter Future for Women and Girls

25 November 2023
Spotlight Initiative (New York)

One in three women worldwide has experienced physical or sexual violence.

In Uganda, nearly every woman or girl will experience gender-based violence at some point in her life.

But change is possible.

'A brighter future' is a short video series that follows five activists and gender-based violence survivors in Uganda who are working to make their communities safe for women and girls.

Their stories illustrate how Spotlight Initiative's unique, comprehensive model brings together the United Nations system, governments, civil society and a wide range of partners to deliver high-impact solutions that save women and girls' lives.

Marcyline

Gender-based violence robbed Marcyline of her childhood and her dreams for the future. Now, she's rebuilding those dreams with support from Spotlight Initiative through UNICEF. Since 2019, Spotlight Initiative has supported almost a million women and girls like Marcyline with long-term recovery services in Uganda.

Read more about Marcyline's story.

Angela

As a woman with a disability, Angela is no stranger to violence and exclusion. In fact, women with disabilities are at least two to three times as likely to experience violence as other women. Angela is one of 300,000 people in Uganda to have attended rights training since 2019, with support from Spotlight Initiative through UN Women. Today, she assists other women and girls to advocate for their rights, too.

Read more about Angela's story.

Timothy

As a village health worker, there was one health crisis that Timothy didn't know how to address: violence against women and girls. With support from Spotlight Initiative through UNFPA, Timothy became one of more than 1,500 male action mentors in Uganda. He now works directly with men and boys to change harmful attitudes and behaviours and helps survivors to access the services they need.

Read more about Timothy's story.

Lillian

When Lillian left a violent relationship, she struggled to make ends meet. With vocational training supported by Spotlight Initiative through UNDP, she now runs a thriving business. Find out why empowering survivors with the skills to be financially independent plays a vital role in eliminating gender-based violence.

Read more about Lillian's story.

Chantal

After fleeing tribal conflict in Rwanda, Chantal is committed to ensuring that other refugee women and girls experiencing violence get the help they need. After completing Spotlight Initiative-supported training through UNHCR, Chantal connects survivors with support services, advocates for gender equality and helps couples to resolve disputes through dialogue.

Read more about Chantal's story.

Read the original article on Spotlight Initiative.

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