The Response to Gender Based Violence in Africa

While there is variation within and across countries, gender-based violence is widespread in Africa and girls and women are disproportionately affected by this violence. Increasingly, states are responding to this violence due to pressure from women’s rights activists and from international organizations. This has resulted in the adoption of laws, the creation of policies, and the establishment of specialized mechanisms such as gender units within police stations to address the problem. However, states have not responded evenly and there is a deficit in the implementation of progressive laws and policies. This chapter draws on examples from across the continent to discuss the prevalence of various forms of gender-based violence and how state and nonstate actors have responded to this violence. It concludes with an argument for the provision of social, health, and legal services to survivors of gender-based violence, in addition to the strengthening of the criminal justice system.