Accra, Dec. 8, GNA – The 7th Global WARIF No Tolerance March was held on Saturday, December 6, 2025, as part of activities marking the United Nations 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.
This year’s theme, “UNiTE to End Digital Violence Against Women and Girls,” resonated strongly as more than 8,000 participants across three continents joined forces to advocate for an end to violence against women and girls (VAWG).
The global campaign recorded marches in 13 cities across Africa, Europe, and North America, including Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Accra, Nairobi, London, Paris, Frankfurt, New York, Atlanta, Houston, and Washington, D.C. Communities, leaders, advocates, families, and survivors marched in solidarity to declare zero tolerance for gender-based violence.
In Lagos, the march across the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge was flagged off by British Deputy High Commissioner Mr. Jonny Baxter, who described the event as a powerful statement of unity.
He was joined by the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. (Mrs.) Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, and the First Lady of Ogun State, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun, alongside government officials and partner organisations.
In Abuja, the walk was organised in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Women’s Affairs, the Senate Committee on Women’s Affairs, UN Women, and civil society groups.
It was flagged off by Dr. Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, CEO of the Medicaid Foundation, and Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Minister of Women’s Affairs. Over 5,000 participants marched to the Old Parade Ground, joined by youth organisations and disability advocacy groups.
Accra’s march, held in partnership with the Springboard Road Show Foundation, brought together women’s groups and faith-based organisations at the Legon Botanical Gardens. Comfort Ocran, founder of the Foundation, emphasised the need for protective systems that uphold survivors’ rights and ensure justice.
Similar marches were held in Nairobi, London, Paris, and Houston, led by WARIF ambassadors and advocates.
Founder of WARIF, Dr. Kemi DaSilva Ibru, highlighted the global impact of the campaign, noting that gender-based violence is a universal crisis requiring collective action.
Proceeds from the marches will support essential services for survivors, including forensic medical care, counselling, and social welfare assistance.
WARIF expressed appreciation to its partners and media organisations for amplifying the message globally.
The Foundation urged individuals and communities to continue raising awareness and supporting survivors to create a world free from violence against women and girls.
Women at Risk International Foundation (WARIF), founded in 2016 by Dr. Kemi DaSilva Ibru, is a non-profit organisation committed to reducing the prevalence of sexual violence and human trafficking through survivor-centred interventions, education, and community outreach.
GNA
Edited by Christian Akorlie