Amplifying feminist voices for a violence-free Africa

By Basil
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Image: Bosco (AGJK Lead)

A wave of feminist energy has swept through Dar es Salaam as a three-day regional convening themed “Unpacking the Promise: Feminist Engagement with the African Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG)” kicked off this week.

Organized by the African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), the convening has drawn together grassroots feminist leaders, community journalists, and women's rights advocates from across East and Southern Africa, all rallying behind a unified call for transformative action on gender-based violence (GBV).

Among the participants is the Association of Grassroots Journalists Kenya (AGJK), represented by its Programs Lead, reaffirming the organization’s commitment to storytelling as a tool for social change.

“This is more than just a conference,” said Maureen Anyango, SRHR Lead at FEMNET. “It’s a strategic space for reflection, resistance, and reimagining how we work across borders to secure a violence-free future for African women and girls.”

The forum comes at a time when the continent is grappling with increasing cases of GBV, reduced civic space, and limited funding for women’s rights. Against this backdrop, participants are charting a bold way forward: urging governments to ratify and implement the African Union Convention on EVAWG — the first legally binding continental instrument to comprehensively address violence against women and girls.

Maureen Anyango, SRHR Lead, FEMNET (Image: Bosco, AGJK Lead)

“Justice cannot be outsourced,” Ms. Anyango emphasized during her keynote. “It must be owned, funded, and driven by us, for us. We are confronting rising backlash, shrinking funding, and new forms of violence — but this is our moment, our movement, and our power.”

Felister P. Mdemu, Tanzania’s Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Gender, officially opened the convening with a powerful call for unity.

Ms. Felister P. Mdemu, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Gender, Tanzania (Image: Bosco, AGJK Lead)

“Inclusion is not optional; it is the key to transforming the lives of women and girls,” she said. “Our response must be grounded in the lived realities of women — from urban hubs to the most remote villages.”

Grassroots Journalism as a catalyst for justice
The presence of AGJK reflects the growing recognition of grassroots journalists as frontline actors in the movement for gender justice.

“Local media holds immense power,” said AGJK’s Programs Lead. “Our work is not just about reporting — it’s about shaping narratives, documenting injustice, and demanding accountability from those in power.”

AGJK believes community journalists, especially those operating in rural and underserved areas, are uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between continental frameworks and local realities. By amplifying community voices, exposing systemic failures, and fostering public dialogue, they help translate international commitments into meaningful change on the ground.

From promises to practice
As country representatives shared insights, the convening laid bare the disconnect between policy and practice. While many nations have legal frameworks addressing violence against women and girls, implementation remains patchy, underfunded, and often symbolic.

“The AU Convention on EVAWG builds on decades of movement-building and holds powerful political significance,” noted one participant from Lesotho. “But unless we harmonize it with national laws and ensure adequate resourcing, it will remain just paper.”

The forum’s goal is not merely to discuss — but to act. Participants are co-creating a strong feminist call-to-action demanding not only ratification but the establishment of robust monitoring, funding, and enforcement mechanisms.

Hope, action, and the road ahead
For AGJK, the strategies and solidarity cultivated in Dar es Salaam will be carried home, feeding into advocacy efforts that challenge stigma, amplify survivor voices, and push for systemic reforms in Kenya and beyond.

“The promise of a violence-free continent for women and girls isn’t a far-off ideal,” said the AGJK representative. “It starts with every voice raised, every story told, and every grassroots effort sustained.”

As the convening draws to a close, one truth stands tall — the power to end violence against women and girls lies in how countries interpret, apply, and prioritize the Convention.

The movement is ready. The moment is now.