Leading up to the 24^th African Union (AU) Summit, the Campaign joined 180 African women leaders at the Gender is My Agenda conference (GIMAC)—hosted by Campaign Advisory Committee member Femmes Africa Solidarité—to call on the AU to mark its “Year of Women’s Empowerment” with concrete commitments to end violence against women. The conference took place in Addis Ababa from January 20 to 23.

For this year's 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, the Campaign partnered with The Huffington Post to share a blog series on supporting survivors of sexual violence and building a safer world for them to speak out. Learn more about some of the tireless activists and survivors working around the world to end sexual violence in conflict: 

Campaign member Maha Babeker from Salmmah Women's Resource Centre has been appointed the Youth to End Sexual Violence Ambassador for Sudan!

Maha participated in this year's Sister-to-Sister mentorship program, run by the Nobel Women's Initiative, and is powerful voice for youth working to build peace and promote gender equality.

The Campaign is joining organizations around the world for this year’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence campaign!

For 16 Days – from November 25 to December 10 – we are exploring how to support survivors of sexual violence in conflict and build a safer world for them to speak out and spotlighting the essential work of survivor-activists, youth and local women’s groups: all key to ending sexual violence in conflict but excluded from peace and policymaking tables. 

Check out our 16 Days blog HERE for all the details!

Campaign Advisory Committee member SOFEPADI and other Congolese civil society groups are urging the Congolese government to declare a state of emergency in Beni, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Recent attacks, which may have been carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) Ugandan rebel group, have killed about 120 people and displaced some 10,000 households.

This week, Campaign members are joining activists from around the world in Delhi, India for the MenEngage symposium, focused on engaging men in the struggle to end gender inequality and violence. Campaign members Promundo and Sonke Gender Justice helped organize the event, which runs from November 10 - 13.

The Global MenEngage network includes over 400 NGOs and United Nations partners working with men and boys to promote peace, equality and justice.

We are fortunate to work with a number of incredible youth activists, including Julian Bright, who volunteered with Campaign member Nobel Women's Initiative this summer! Check out Julian's blog on what drives his activism to promote gender equality and end gender violence in conflict: an inspiring read to kick off our web coverage of next week's MenEngage symposium in Delhi, India! 

The International Campaign to Stop Rape and Gender Violence in Conflict and our members are working hard to prevent sexual violence, protect survivors and prosecute perpetrators. Together we are making an impact. Share our news with your friends and invite them to pledge their support to the Campaign! 

The Campaign is deeply concerned by recent death threats made to Campaign member and founder of the Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network (MWGSN) and the Control Arms Foundation of India (CAFI), Binalakshmi Nepram. We call for increased efforts to ensure her safety and protect other women human rights defenders in India and around the world.

As world powers deploy military missions to fight ISIL* in Iraq, the International Campaign to Stop Rape & Gender Violence in Conflict is urging them to prioritize ending widespread sexual violence by ISIL and other militant groups in the region. The Campaign also warns that without the inclusion of Iraqi women in diplomatic efforts to establish peace, violence will worsen.