“Women’s organizations on the front lines of the COVID-19 response continue to adapt and provide vital services for survivors, even in the face of unprecedented challenges. As violence against women rises, the services offered by women’s organizations must be included in governments’ COVID-19 response packages,” said Aldijana Sisic, Chief of the UN Trust Fund.

At 16, Jakomba Jabbie is one of the most vocal advocates for the education of all girls in the Gambia, especially when it comes to science and technology skills.

FGM is a long-running harmful traditional practice in her community in Gambia that has led generations of women to a lifetime of pain, a lack of control of their own bodily integrity and sexuality, and debilitating health risks, including death. The taboo surrounding the topic has impeded women to freely discuss their experiences of harm and suffering caused by FGM.

At a recent dialogue in Gambia, regional networks of women living with HIV called on policymakers to address women’s property and inheritance rights in the context of HIV.