Putting an End to GBV

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From Silence to Strength: Confronting Gender-Based Violence in Northern Bahr el Ghazal

In the quiet tukuls of Aweil and the busy corners of local markets, a painful silence lingers — the silence of girls and women living through Gender-Based Violence (GBV). For years, this issue has remained buried beneath harmful cultural practices and power structures. But now, a shift is happening — and at the heart of this movement is ADAFIN.

ADAFIN, a national NGO rooted in the very communities it serves, is leading the charge against GBV with courage, compassion, and a clear vision. In a place where survivors often suffer in silence, ADAFIN is giving them voices — and more importantly, helping them find their strength.

Through its One Stop Centers (OSCs), survivors receive urgent medical care, legal guidance, trauma counseling, and safe spaces to heal. Community radio talk shows — spoken in the local dialect — are breaking long-held taboos, sparking open conversations around GBV in homes, schools, and chief’s barazas.

Local chiefs, youth, and women leaders are now part of the solution. With the support of partners like UNFPA, ADAFIN is training police officers, engaging religious leaders, and empowering communities to speak up and take action.

The work doesn’t stop at response. Survivors are also given tools to rebuild their lives — from tailoring and beadwork to farming and soap-making. In Aweil West, a young mother who once faced child marriage now runs a thriving small business, training others and mentoring local girls. These are not just recovery stories — they are stories of transformation.

ADAFIN’s impact is real and growing. Since 2019, over 4,000 survivors have accessed life-saving support through our centers. And with each girl rescued, each community sensitized, and each voice raised, we inch closer to a future free of GBV.

The fight is far from over, but the tide is turning. With the support of partners, donors, and communities themselves, ADAFIN is planting seeds of change — one conversation, one rescue, and one empowered life at a time.

From silence to strength, from stigma to support — this is the story of resilience in Northern Bahr el Ghazal.