African feminist movements converged across borders in a decisive show of solidarity to confront sexual violence as a continental human rights crisis, affirming that only collective feminist power can dismantle systems of impunity and restore justice for survivors.
At a three-hour virtual convening, Sisterhood Beyond Borders: Mobilising the Pan-African Feminist Movement to End Sexual Violence, organised by Baobab for Women’s Human Rights (BAOBAB) in collaboration with leading feminist and human rights organisations, marked International Human Rights Day and took place within the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. More than 160 participants from across Africa including legal experts, grassroots organisers, media professionals, policymakers, young feminists and survivor advocates gathered with a unified mandate: to reclaim power, reimagine justice and end sexual violence.
Executive Director, BAOBAB, Bunmi Dipo-Salami, framed the convening as a strategic intervention to close the persistent gap between progressive legal frameworks and the lived realities of women and girls across Africa. “Across our continent, we have laws, protocols and conventions, yet perpetrators still walk free while survivors are retraumatised by the very systems meant to protect them. This convening is about moving feminist solidarity beyond rhetoric into coordinated political action.”
Convening Chair and FEMNET Board Chairperson, Carole Ageng’o, described sexual violence as a Pan-African crisis requiring Pan-African solutions. “Violence against women and girls does not respect borders. Our response must therefore be continental, coordinated and uncompromising. Feminist unity is not optional; it is our most powerful tool.”
In a keynote address delivered by African Union Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa, Janet Salleh-Ndjie, she positioned the African Union Convention to End Violence Against Women and Girls (AU-CEVAWG) as a transformative legal instrument capable of reshaping access to justice across the continent. She highlighted Article 12 of the Convention, which mandates survivor-centred justice systems, including free legal aid, timely prosecutions and specialised courts for sexual violence cases. “Article 12 represents a feminist reimagining of justice. It places the dignity, agency and wellbeing of survivors at the centre, rather than forcing them to navigate hostile systems that reproduce harm.”
Calling for urgent political will, she added, “African Union Member States have both a moral and political obligation to ratify AU-CEVAWG without delay. The crisis we face does not permit slow processes or excuses.”
Bridging policy to action, Executive Director of the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS), Hannah Forster, challenged civil society to move beyond advocacy for adoption to relentless demands for implementation. “Ratification is only the starting point. Without budgets, judicial reform and sustained monitoring, conventions remain paper promises. Feminist movements must insist on timelines, enforcement and measurable outcomes.”
Legal accountability took centre stage during the first panel, moderated by Samia Melki of SOAWR North Africa. Nigerian feminist advocate Mariam Abdu painted a stark picture of judicial failures, noting that many survivors abandon cases due to corruption, delays and retraumatising court processes. “Justice delayed is justice denied. AU-CEVAWG gives us the leverage to demand expedited hearings, survivor protection and an end to hostile cross-examination.”
From Southern Africa, Namuchana Mushabati of WiLDAF Zambia shared lessons from Zambia’s Anti-Gender-Based Violence Act, stressing that laws without funding and training remain ineffective. “Domestication is not symbolic. It requires budgets, skilled judges and monitoring mechanisms. Political will must be backed by resources.”
The second panel shifted focus to grassroots power and the digital age. Project Alert’s Executive Director, Josephine Effah-Chukwuma, reminded participants that digital advocacy must not eclipse direct survivor support. “Online campaigns matter, but survivors still need safe spaces, counselling and someone to walk with them into court. Many women are offline. Our work must meet them where they are.” While young feminist leader, Priscilla Usiobaifo of the Brave Heart Initiative, demonstrated how digital tools can amplify on-the-ground action. “Social media helps us mobilise quickly, apply pressure and protect survivor anonymity. But it works best when it strengthens community action, not replaces it.”
Media practitioner, Kathleen Ndongmo of News Central TV Cameroon, emphasised responsible reporting, particularly in conflict-affected regions. “Journalism must centre survivor dignity and accountability, not sensationalism,” she said, while Omolara Balogun of WACSI called for sustainable funding models. “Movements cannot run on passion alone. Feminist organisations need core funding to survive and lead long-term change.”
A defining moment of the convening was the official launch of the Pan-African Feminist Solidarity Network (PAFSO), led by BAOBAB’s Programme Officer, Chisom Akwue. PAFSO was unveiled as a permanent continental infrastructure to drive AU-CEVAWG ratification, protect women human rights defenders and institutionalise youth leadership. “PAFSO is not aspirational,” Akwue said. “It is the revolution we are building today.”
Responding, Ageng’o welcomed the initiative while stressing intergenerational collaboration. “Our strength lies in bridging experience and innovation,” she noted. “We must create spaces where young feminists lead boldly and elder feminists’ mentor intentionally.”
The convening concluded with the adoption of the Pan-African Feminist Solidarity Pledge, committing participants to survivor-centred justice, cross-border solidarity, accountability for States and sustained resourcing of feminist movements.
