In the words of Julienne Lusenge: “Women are the first victims of war” in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Date: Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Julienne Lusenge is Director of the Fund for Congolese Women (FFC) and President of SOFEPADI in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where she says “violence is a part of daily life”. In October 2015, she spoke about gender-based violence in conflict at the UN Security Council's Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security:

Statement by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka for International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

Date: Saturday, November 21, 2015

In her statement to mark this year’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka says “if we all work together: governments, civil society organizations, the UN system, businesses, schools, and individuals mobilizing through new solidarity movements, we will eventually achieve a more equal world—a Planet 50-50—where women and girls can and will live free from violence”.

Statement by Executive Director of UN Women Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka on Boko Haram

Date: Friday, October 2, 2015

In light of this ongoing and deepening insecurity, UN Women welcomes the release of the report this week by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on violations committed by Boko Haram. We underline the call to affected States and the international community to place gender equality at the heart of interventions. This is the only sustainable, systemic way to prevent and respond to the spread of violent extremism. Empowered women and empowered communities are the best defense against radicalization and further violence. We must engender counter-terrorism.

Healing unseen wounds in Mogadishu

Date: Thursday, August 15, 2013

A project to train community leaders to heal conflict-related trauma in Mogadishu, Somalia, is helping women and girls move beyond their violent experiences.

Girls receive a visit from a different man every night, a ‘new husband’: In the words of Saran Keïta Diakité

Date: Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Saran Keïta Diakité is a lawyer in Mali and President of the Malian branch of the NGO Working Group on Women Peace and Security (Réseau Paix et Sécurité des Femmes de l’Espace CEDEAO). As the Donor Conference on Mali starts in Brussels, in her own words she speaks about the atrocities occurring in her country, which has been plagued by political instability and the proliferation of armed groups that have uprooted more than 415,000 people since a military coup d’état in March 2012. She also talks about the work of her NGO, supported by UN Women, to assist survivors of violence, provide access to justice, and to ensure women have a say in peace negotiations. She was one of four female mediators who took part in peace negotiations from 15-17 April 2012 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Saran also recently spoke in April 2013 at the UN Security Council’s Open Debate on conflict-related sexual violence in New York.