Stephanie is a young woman from Cameroon, and for a long time, she felt like she didn’t have a voice. Growing up in a small community where sexual and reproductive health (SRH) was rarely discussed, girls were blamed and stigmatised for even mentioning the word "sex" to adults. When Stephanie was younger, a family member sexually assaulted her, and her world shattered. No one believed her, and others accused her of being promiscuous and immoral. The trauma wasn’t just from the experience itself but also from the silence that followed.
Gender-based Violence (GBV) remains a critical crisis hindering the advancement of gender equality and the creation of a safer environment for women and girls. As reported by UN Women, 736 million women—nearly one in three—have experienced physical or sexual violence from intimate partners, non-partner sexual violence, or both at least once during their lives, with almost one in three women facing violence at some point in their lives.
As we mark the end of 16 Days of Activism, we are reminded that every 10 minutes, a woman is killed. In 2023 alone, around 51,100 women and girls worldwide were killed by their intimate partners or other family members. Girls are at particular risk of violence—1 in 4 adolescent girls is abused by their partners. These statistics are devastating, and there is no excuse for this to keep happening.
Like many women and girls out there, Stephanie, too, was stigmatised, shamed, and isolated. People saw her as damaged, and sadly, she started to believe it, too. In such a tragic situation, she felt powerless and alone, trapped in the shadows of her pain, with no friends and no family to lean on for support.
Violence against women and girls is preventable, and programs like the HER Voice Fund and the Gender Equality Fund, backed by donors such as ViiV Positive HealthCare and the Global Fund, are collaborating with partners across Africa. They are implementing gender-transformative strategies to address gender-related issues. This involves challenging harmful gender norms, holding leaders accountable for their commitments to ending GBV and creating a safe environment where adolescent girls and young women can thrive.
One day, Stephanie’s life took a turn when she connected with Vision in Action Cameroon (VIAC), a grantee of the HER Voice Fund led by Y+ Global that promotes sexual and reproductive health for adolescent girls and young women in her community. VIAC organised a session for young girls; while not all participants attended, the day signified a pivotal moment for Stephanie. The session inspired her so much that she reached out to the facilitator afterwards to share her story.
“They took me in, not as a victim, but as someone with potential. Through their mentorship, I learned that my story and voice were powerful. VIAC gave me the space to heal, but more than that, they empowered me to speak up and take control of my own narrative.”
Stephanie thrived in the program. Initially, she began as a peer educator, connecting with other girls who had encountered similar challenges. For the first time, Stephanie felt part of a community. The mentorship she received had a profound impact; it empowered her regarding her reproductive rights, consent, and the significance of comprehensive sexual education.
“I was equipped with the knowledge I wish I had had before, and I knew I had to make sure other girls had access to this information, too. Information is power; unfortunately, many survivors are not given the support they need.”
Stephanie became a strong advocate in her community, using her experience to fight against stigma and silence. This led her to participate in high-level events, sharing her incredible story to highlight the importance of sexual and reproductive health rights for girls and young women. She now works with young girls like herself, who have been silenced by trauma. Through mentorship, she helps young girls understand that they are not alone and their voices matter.
Stephanie’s journey of resilience, determination, and empowerment poignantly reminds us that we must do more to safeguard women and girls from GBV. This can be accomplished by fostering discussions about SRHR to encourage girls and boys alike to talk about their experiences in safe and open settings and, similarly, remove the stigma that victims often deal with on a daily basis. Today, Stephanie proudly serves as an ambassador for change in a community that once viewed her as damaged.
At Y+ Global, we partner with community-led organisations like VIAC that support adolescent girls and young women. Our goal is to equip them with essential tools and resources that empower AGYW, ensuring their voices are heard until silence and stigma are dismantled. We understand that the journey to eliminating violence against women and girls is fraught with difficulties. Yet, we must take steps to invest in prevention and women’s rights initiatives to guarantee access to vital services for survivors. We stand in solidarity with Stephanie and the many women and girls who share similar experiences. We see you, and we hear you. There is #NoExcuse for violence against women.