The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence focused attention on the ongoing crisis affecting millions of women and girls across Africa. Systemic failures, cultural norms, and weak law enforcement continue to perpetuate physical and sexual abuse of women worldwide.

It is estimated that one in three women, or 840 million worldwide, has faced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. To break the cycle of violence and protect future generations, experts call for increased funding, gender-inclusive leadership, and scalable, evidence-based interventions, writes allAfrica’s Melody Chironda.