19th mars 2026
This collection of factsheets and infographics outlines the laws, protections, implementation challenges, legal gaps, and support mechanisms in 10 select countries in Eastern and Southern Africa related to ending violence against women and girls. Focused on Botswana, Djibouti, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Sudan, Somaliland, South Sudan, Uganda, and the publications provide key recommendations to strengthen prevention, accountability, and survivor-centred responses across diverse legal and policy contexts.
According to UNFPA, over 67% of women in Botswana have experienced abuse. This is over double the global average. However, the 2023 Afrobarometer report suggests that the true extent of GBV may be unknown due to underreporting.
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About 78% of women aged 15-49 have undergone FGM; around 13% of women get married before age 18; and domestic violence and non-partner sexual violence remain under-recorded.
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According to the 2023-2024 DHS, in Lesotho, 41% of women aged 15–49 have experienced physical violence since age 15, and 15% have ever experienced sexual violence.
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According to the United Nations, 2024 statistics indicate that 24% of women in Mauritius had experienced some form of gender-based violence (GBV). While there are specialised children’s courts and penalties for sexual offences, gaps remain in enforcement and service delivery.
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According to the World Bank Group, 37% of women aged 15–49 in Mozambique have experienced physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner, highlighting the widespread nature of gender-based violence.
Between April 2024 and February 2025, Namibian police recorded 4,405 GBV cases, of which 1,345 were rape incidents. In the 2023/24 financial year, there were 4,814 GBV cases nationwide.
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The UN estimates that over 6.9 million women and girls are at risk of GBV across Sudan. Moreover, it is indicated that between December 2023 and December 2024, there was a 288% increase in GBV survivors seeking support services.
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The Somaliland National Human Rights Commission’s 2023 Annual Report shows an increase of 22.8% of rape cases in 2023. The report further indicates 752 reported rape cases in 2023, of which only 271 were reported to the prosecution office, suggesting that 63.9% of cases were resolved outside the formal judicial system.
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According to UNFPA, South Sudan has one of the highest GBV prevalence rates in East Africa. In 2022, a study by the Global Women’s Institute and the International Rescue Committee revealed that up to 65% of South Sudanese women and girls in conflict zones had experienced physical or sexual violence.
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The 2022 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey indicates that 44% of women have experienced physical violence since age 15, and 23% experienced such violence 12 months before the study.