Nine Women. One Shared Grief. One Voice

The senseless killing of the nine women through brutal and criminal acts of violence is totally abhorrent.

No woman should live in fear — fear that walking around their communities and taking a run around their world would lead to their demise.

It simply cannot be that violence against women can be accepted at any stage.

Every life lost to gender-based violence leaves an unfillable void. These were not statistics; they were living, breathing human beings with dreams, hopes, and profound contributions to the world around them.

They were daughters. Sisters. Mothers. Friends. And they mattered.

The African Left-Handers Foundation stands with all the families of women who have lost their lives to violent and criminal acts, bearing them weightily in our thoughts during this painful season, and condemns in the strongest terms the violence unleashed on innocent women who are our mothers, sisters, nieces, aunts, partners, and pillars of our families.

Human Dignity Cannot Be Piecemeal

Advocating for human rights means recognising that safety, bodily integrity, and dignity are foundational to every other right we fight for. Whether in our classrooms, our workplaces, or on our streets, no individual can thrive when living under the shadow of violence.

Silencing or ignoring gender-based violence erodes the moral fiber of our society. True advocacy demands that we speak out whenever human rights and human lives are degraded.

Our Communities. Our Responsibility.

Ending violence against women is not a burden to be borne by women alone — it is a collective duty that belongs to all of us. It requires men, leaders, institutions, and every member of our communities to challenge harmful behaviors, reject quiet complicity, and demand active justice and accountability.

– Speak out: Refuse to normalise or downplay violence, abuse, or intimidation.
– Protect and support: Create environments where women and girls are safe to move, live, work, and thrive without fear.
– Demand accountability: Ensure that criminal acts are met with decisive legal and social consequences.

We carry the memory of these nine women in our hearts as we recommit ourselves to building an Africa grounded in equity, justice, and absolute respect for human life.