7th WARIF March Demands Zero Tolerance for Gender Violence

More than 8,000 activists marched across thirteen cities on Saturday, December six, 2025, in the seventh Global WARIF No‑Tolerance March, marking the UN’s 16‑day campaign against gender‑based violence.

The event celebrated the theme “UNiTE to End Digital Violence Against Women and Girls,” mobilising participants from Africa, Europe and North America to demonstrate solidarity and renew global commitment to ending violence against women and girls.

In Lagos, the march crossed the iconic Lekki‑Ikoyi Link Bridge, temporarily closing traffic as a symbolic act of disruption. The procession was flagged off by British Deputy High Commissioner Jonny Baxter, who observed, “The power of us walking across that bridge, closing it down to traffic, really makes a difference,” he said.

Baxter was joined by the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr (Mrs) Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo‑Olu, the First Lady of Ogun State, Bamidele Abiodun, as well as government officials, partner organisations and a broad network of supporters.

Abuja’s march, organised in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Women’s Affairs, the Senate Committee on Women’s Affairs and UN Women, saw more than 5,000 participants stride toward the Old Parade Ground. The walk was flagged off by Dr Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, CEO of the Medicaid Foundation, and Federal Minister of Women’s Affairs Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman‑Ibrahim.

In Accra, the Ghanaian leg of the campaign was hosted by the Springboard Road Show Foundation, founded by Comfort Ocran. Participants, including women’s groups and religious organisations, marched through the Legon Botanical Gardens, where Ocran declared, “Today’s march reminds us that safety is a right. We must build protective systems that restore safety, affirm survivors’ rights, and make justice real in their everyday lives,” she stated.

Advocates also gathered in Nairobi, where Ms Ohi led a group of activists, while in London, Mr Romarho Ibru, Sarien Ibru and Bella Anenih headed a vibrant contingent of young WARIF ambassadors.

Paris saw Blessing Adesiyan host the march at Les Bulles De Paris, and in Houston, Sarah Adeyeye guided participants through Sugarland Memorial Park, extending the global chorus against gender‑based violence.

Founder Dr Kemi DaSilva Ibru reflected on the movement’s reach, “The ripple effects have been profound. Communities that once felt disconnected from the issue now recognise that gender‑based violence is not one community’s problem, or even one continent’s; it is a global crisis that demands collective action,” she explained. She added that the marches have empowered survivors, sparked difficult yet necessary conversations and strengthened networks of support worldwide.

Proceeds from the marches fund essential post‑incident services, including forensic medical care, psychosocial counselling and social‑welfare support for survivors of rape and sexual violence.

WARIF thanked its partners, citing Access Bank, Chevron, UN agencies and numerous civil‑society groups in Lagos, as well as the Federal Ministry of Women’s Affairs and UN Women in Abuja. Media partners such as Beat FM, BellaNaija, The Guardian and Wazobia helped amplify the message across borders.

The global No‑Tolerance campaign continues to grow, urging individuals, communities and organisations to stand in solidarity, raise awareness and champion a world free from violence against women and girls – a call that resonates strongly with Ghanaian activists striving for safer streets and stronger legal protections.

Image Source: MYJOYONLINE