Standing together to end violence against women and girls in Eastern and Southern Africa
What is #StopTheCount?
Across Eastern and Southern Africa, violence against women and girls (VAWG) continues at alarming rates. 42% of women in the region experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. In some countries, 1 in 5 youth report sexual violence by an intimate partner. These are not just statistics—they are a call to action.
The #StopTheCount campaign brings together powerful voices across the region to say enough is enough. Through bold, collective advocacy, we are calling on governments to ratify, domesticate, and fully implement the Maputo Protocol Africa’s landmark legal instrument protecting the rights of women and girls.
What can governments do
To ensure that African women and girls enjoy full rights and protections, we are calling on governments to:
18 as the minimum age of marriage, with no exceptions.
Criminalize and punish all forms of intimate partner violence, including marital rape.
Recognize and criminalize femicide, as a specific and urgent issue.
Fully implement the Maputo Protocol, in national law and practice.
Take action now
Ending violence against women and girls is not just a moral imperative—it’s a legal and human rights responsibility. Whether you're a lawyer, journalist, activist, health worker, educator, policy-maker, parent, or student, your voice holds power. Help us push for change and make your voice heard. You can support the campaign in two powerful ways:
1. Demand government accountability: Send an email to your national assembly
The Maputo Protocol is a powerful legal framework, yet most governments in Eastern and Southern Africa have failed to fully implement it. Use your voice to push for change.
Click below to access our ready-to-send email addressed to your country’s National Assembly. It includes urgent statistics and clear demands for action.
Ratified countries:
Non-ratified countries (Sudan, South Sudan, Djibouti, Botswana, and Somaliland):
2. Share campaign resources
Share the message on social media with a ready to go toolkit that includes: country-specific violence against women and girls (VAWG) statistics, ready-made social media graphics and sample captions and hashtags
Download
3. Follow #StopTheCount on social media
Follow and tag us on Equality Now Africa on LinkedIn, @equalitynoworg on Instagram and @EqualityNow_AF on X and use the hashtag #StopTheCount. Let’s make it impossible to ignore the call to end violence against women and girls.
🎧 Don’t miss the next episode of the SOAWR Podcast, featuring a deep dive into the statistics and stories driving this campaign. Subscribe on Spotify at-
Thank you your support
It's time to #StopTheCount.
Because every number is a name. Every statistic is a story. And every life matters.