Enough!

Violence is faced by women and girls across the world every day. One in three women experience some form of gender-based violence in their lifetime. Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is experienced more widely among poor and marginalized women, with high levels in West Africa. SGBV is particularly pervasive among women and girls in the target countries of Mali, Liberia and Ghana, with widespread harmful cultural and religious norms and practices. High levels of conflict in the region have exacerbated SGBV rates. 54% women were victims of sexual violence during the civil war in Liberia and the number of cases has remained high ever since. Domestic abuse is also commonplace with 28% of women in Ghana experiencing domestic abuse in 2015.

The project

The Enough! Project believes that to end sexual and gender-based violence, women and girls must have an environment which enables them to know, claim and exercise their rights. In this project, a two-pronged approach is used to instigate change at all levels: strengthening the capacities of civil society organisations, and mobilising communities to challenge the harmful social norms and practices which are the root causes of SGBV.

Our activities focus on capacity building for key stakeholders, women’s groups and civil society organisations, strengthening them to influence policy implementation, make their voices heard in decision making and improve service provision. We provide protection and prevention activities, increasing access to justice, legal support and health services for survivors and those at risk of SGBV. We emphasise the importance of women’s economic empowerment in fighting SGBV, supporting income generating activities to increase their economic independence. In addition, governments, institutions and law makers are encouraged to work together to change societal level beliefs, norms and policies so women and girls can live free of violence.

This project is supported by the EU with 5,323,359 EUR.

Countries: Mali, Liberia and Ghana