‘We Cannot Wait’ Movement

💡 Our latest newsletter is now available: mailchi.mp/feca002a058b/e… Inside this Edition, you’ll find: 🟢Reflections from regional & international advocacy spaces 🟢Vibrant stories of community action & feminist movement-building across Sudan, Somalia, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Somaliland & Uganda 🟢Highlights from global campaigns & commemorations keeping women’s rights activism alive 🟢Media features amplifying women’s lived experiences 🟢Press statements & gender alerts calling for accountability & gender justice 🟢New publications from the SIHA's Library 📖 Read the full newsletter here: mailchi.mp/feca002a058b/e… ---------- @SOAWR @woman_kind @unwomenafrica @awdf01 @gatesfoundation @TrustAfrica @UNTrustFundEVAW @DutchMFA @OpenSocietyAfr @BROT_furdiewelt @GlobalGiving @PAXvoorvrede @NLcivilsociety @Halayalkarib @UNPeacebuilding @dfatirl @SOAWR @equalitynow @GAC_Corporate @swisssolidarity @SigridRausing @TrustAfrica @giz_gmbh

THEY SURVIVED. NOW THE WORLD MUST LISTEN! 💔 Sudanese women are breaking the silence on unspeakable crimes committed during the ongoing conflict. In harrowing firsthand accounts, survivors recount systematic sexual violence, including gang rape perpetrated by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with female infants among the victims. These are not isolated incidents. They are war crimes. Where is accountability? Where is protection for women and children? THE WORLD CANNOT CONTINUE TO LOOK AWAY! 🛑 Read the full report. Share. Demand action: aljazeera.com/features/2026/… #KeepEyesOnSudan #SudanCrisis #WarCrimes #ProtectCivilians ------------ @UN_Sudan @UNDP_Sudan @UNOCHA_Sudan @DWAG6 @DNforHR @AfricanCentre @USEmbassyKRT @AfricaAW @UKinSudan @RepSaraJacobs @Af4HA @_Nalafem @BSonblast @noonforwomen @el_karama @feministconsci1 @SudanHRH @NidalSaad4 @yassmin_a @Sarajalilo @Moh_Gamea @SimsimAlbadri @HkZuk @AfriFeminists @DutchMFA @fidh_un @GCR2P @CIHRS_Alerts @ISHRglobal @UNTrustFundEVAW @unwomensudan @NLinSudan @DefendDefenders @Halayalkarib @ngowgwps @Roaarabi2 @JamesCopnall @DavidLammy @antonioguterres @AyinSudan @_AfricanUnion @sudan_doctors @sudan_war @SecRubio @Swiss_Khartoum @AmbRamsoekh @RadioDabanga @SOAWR @woman_kind

#WisdomWednesday | Are we brave enough to confront the truth? Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) continues to affect nearly every Somali woman and girl. Despite its devastating health consequences and clear violation of human rights, the practice persists under cultural, social, and falsely framed religious justifications. This national crisis is also sustained by misinformation and silence. While the Draft Anti-FGM Bill (2019) marks progress, dangerous loopholes threaten to reverse decades of hard-won advocacy. As Somali WROs, feminist groups, and CSOs, we put forward the following recommendations in one united voice: 🚫 No form of FGM is acceptable, including “Sunna” - all are harmful and must be banned. 🚫 No medicalization – health professionals must not legitimize abuse 🚫 No compromise on women's human rights – the law must align with constitutional and international obligations. We also call on the Federal Parliament of Somalia (@somaliFP), cultural and religious leaders, and the Somali people to stand on the right side of history by acting with integrity and adopting a strong, uncompromising law because FGM is not tradition. Not religion. Not acceptable. 🟢 CHOOSE COURAGE. CHOOSE TRUTH. CHOOSE WOMEN AND GIRLS 📖 Read our joint Position Paper and join the call for action: sihanet.org/a-somalia-free… NOTE: This analysis is based on the Draft Anti-FGM Bill currently publicly available. Reports of alternative drafts have not been substantiated through official publication or public circulation. #EndFGM #ZeroToleranceToVAW #womensrights ----------------------------- @MFamily_HRD @KhadijaMakhzumi @vosomwo @Nagaad_Network @NAFIS_NETWORK @GuleidJ @hrcsomaliland @swcca1 @SWDC_ORG @siradinitiative @IfrahFoundation @KalsonAbdi @Somalilandtoday @GermanyinSOM @iom_somalia @UNFPA_SOMALIA @OCHASom @unicefsomalia @UNWomen_Somalia @_AfricanUnion @achpr_cadhp @US2SOMALIA @Mullaha2025 @Yurub_waberi @EU_in_Somalia @UNSomalia @Faiza__Ali @nujuumarts @__Raash @FranceinSomalia @UKinSomalia @DrDahir @YTimacade @naomohed @WFPSomalia @caresom @WomeninGHSo @SOAWR @GBVnet @RaisingVoices

As we step into the New Year, we invite you to stand in solidarity with women on the frontlines of care and resistance in Sudan. While civilians fleeing the war continue to walk to neighbouring communities and countries, they carry nothing but their strength. NO SAFETY. NO SUPPLIES. NO CERTAINTY. Yet in the face of this reality, women have risen to support one another and their fellow citizens. For instance, with the support of SIHA Network, Women Together for Cooperation (WTC) has distributed dignity kits including hygiene items, sanitary pads, and basic clothing - responding to urgent needs that are too often neglected in times of crisis. Alongside this, SIHA-supported, women-led community kitchens in El Fasher continue to operate, preparing warm meals for families as they arrive. Led by local women volunteers and sustained through collective care, these kitchens provide more than food; they restore dignity, solidarity, and a sense of humanity when systems fall short. Despite these efforts, community needs remain overwhelming. But this is where survival begins. This is where dignity is protected. This is where hope is kept alive. To support these initiatives, please give via this link: paybills.ug/index.php/siha #WomenLeadCrisisResponse #KeepEyesOnSudan #SpreadTheWord #HappyNewYear #DonateNow ------------------------- @UN_Sudan @UNDP_Sudan @UNOCHA_Sudan @DWAG6 @DNforHR @AfricanCentre @USEmbassyKRT @AfricaAW @UKinSudan @RepSaraJacobs @Af4HA @_Nalafem @BSonblast @noonforwomen @el_karama @feministconsci1 @SudanHRH @NidalSaad4 @yassmin_a @Sarajalilo @Moh_Gamea @SimsimAlbadri @HkZuk @AfriFeminists @DutchMFA @fidh_un @GCR2P @CIHRS_Alerts @ISHRglobal @UNTrustFundEVAW @unwomensudan @NLinSudan @DefendDefenders @Halayalkarib @ngowgwps @Roaarabi2 @JamesCopnall @DavidLammy @antonioguterres @AyinSudan @_AfricanUnion @sudan_doctors @sudan_war @SecRubio @Swiss_Khartoum @AmbRamsoekh @RadioDabanga @SOAWR @woman_kind

Happy Holidays from SIHA Network! We extend our heartfelt thanks to all our partners, allies, friends, and members for standing with us throughout the year. Your solidarity, commitment, and belief in women’s rights across the Greater Horn of Africa have meant so much to us. As we enter the new year, we look forward to continuing this journey together with the same strength, courage, and shared purpose. Wishing you joyful holidays and a bright, peaceful 2026! — The SIHA Network Team

🛑 DIGITAL ABUSE HAS OFFLINE CONSEQUENCES! It leaves survivors with anxiety, fear, trauma, & isolation. It also silences voices, harms livelihoods, & forces netizens, especially women out of public spaces. #16DaysOfActivism #StopDigitalViolence #ProtectWomenOnline #EndVAWGOnline #SafeInternetForWomen #EndDigitalVAWG

🏆 We are proud to announce that SIHA Network has been awarded the Distinguished Partners for Women, Peace and Security Award 2025. This recognition affirms our continued commitment to advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda across the Greater Horn of Africa. We thank the Strategy for Humanity Education Fund, and Our Secure Future and Mobilizing Men as Partners for Women, Peace and Security for this honour, and are sharing it with you our partners, allies, and friends who make this work possible. Together, we remain steadfast in building a more just, peaceful, and inclusive future! #YesTo1325 #WPS #WomenPeaceSecurity --------------------------------- @Strat4Humanity @OurSecureFuture @giwps @Halayalkarib @UNTrustFundEVAW @DutchMFA @awdf01 @BROT_furdiewelt @UAFAfrica @Swiss_Khartoum @GlobalGiving @PAXvoorvrede @NLcivilsociety @unwomenafrica @WomenPeaceSec @Lacroix_UN @UNPeacekeeping @ElsieFund @Halayalkarib @DWAG6 @DNforHR @AfricanCentre @AfricaAW @RepSaraJacobs @Af4HA @_Nalafem @BSonblast @el_karama @NidalSaad4 @yassmin_a @Sarajalilo @Moh_Gamea @SimsimAlbadri @HkZuk @DutchMFA @DefendDefenders @ngowgwps @Roaarabi2 @JamesCopnall @AyinSudan @sudan_doctors @SecRubio @Swiss_Khartoum @AmbRamsoekh @RadioDabanga @Shiroug_art

🚨 The situation in El Fasher, North Darfur – Sudan has spiraled into a full-blown humanitarian catastrophe.. As the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) tightens its grip, civilians, especially women and girls, are bearing the brunt: displacement, hunger, sexual violence, and a severe deprivation of basic needs. In an emergency public briefing with the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, our Regional Director, Hala Al Karib, delivers a searing account of what’s happening on the ground - the gendered horrors, the silence of protection mechanisms, and the urgent demand for the global community to act at this critical moment: youtube.com/watch?v=RE2yAB… 🎙️ This is not just another news story; her testimony is a rallying cry. Therefore, we must amplify the voices of Sudanese communities trapped in the crossfire and demand: • Immediate and safe humanitarian corridors • A full international response to gender- and sexual-based violence • Accountability for war crimes and impunity 📽️ Watch the full interview here youtube.com/watch?v=RE2yAB… and speak up for the people of El Fasher. ------------------------------ WHY WE MUST ACT NOW: • The RSF captured El Fasher on 26 October 2025, intensifying a year-long siege (The Guardian) • Nearly 90,000 people have fled the area under extreme conditions (The Guardian) • Displacement camps like Tawila are overwhelmed, and malnutrition is through the roof; MSF reports over 70% of children arriving are acutely malnourished (The Guardian) • A drone strike on a mosque killed more than 70 civilians, including worshippers (Al Jazeera) • The UN has called for an immediate ceasefire, warning of mass civilian casualties, food shortages, and no humanitarian access (ungeneva.org) #KeepEyesOnSudan #SudanCrisis #ElFasher #Darfur #WomenInConflict #StopTheSiege ---------- @Fikra_SD @_MalazEmad @AfricanCentre @AfriFeminists @ahmadshomokh @amalhamdanelex @AyinSudan @BSonblast @errfner @errfnern @feministconsci1 @GBVnet @Golama_Isies @Halayalkarib @HkZuk @iReelMuaz @JamesCopnall @m7rhman @MiddleEastEye @minlayla77 @MynameisApes @ngowgwps @NidalSaad4 @noonforwomen @RadioDabanga @ReemWrites @Roaarabi2 @Sarajalilo @ShawgiMD @SOAWR @Sonblast @Swiss_Khartoum @taggy_ @TheRealOlaDiab @Winiomer @YousraElbagir @ZKinSudan @woman_kind

At 63 years old, Omon Hellen is championing justice and Gender Inclusion as a mediator on the Ker Kwaro Acholi Committee. Through the Community Legal Volunteers (CLV) model, FIDA-Uganda continues to empower communities by building the capacity of local leaders like Hellen to promote justice, equality, and peace at the grassroots level. #CLVSpotlight

Through our ongoing efforts to create awareness on wills and trusts in local communities, we continue to promote access to justice and protect women’s rights to property and inheritance ⚖️. Recently, our Gulu office with support from @wecannotwait project, participated in the reading of a client’s will in Pece-Laroo, where FIDA-Uganda had earlier been entrusted with the document for safe custody. Upon the client’s passing, the will was formally declared to the family and handed over to the widow, who was appointed as the executrix of the estate. By building community awareness and offering legal support in matters of wills and succession, FIDA-Uganda is helping families handle inheritance matters peacefully, prevent conflicts, and uphold the dignity and rights of women in matters of property ownership 🌿. #WCWProject

🎙️ In this episode of Expert Voices on Atrocity Prevention soundcloud.com/evappodcast/ep…, our Regional Director Hala Al-Karib sits down with Jaclyn Streitfeld-Hall to reflect on the 25th anniversary of the Women, Peace, and Security agenda and its intersection with atrocity prevention. @Halayalkarib shares how grassroots women’s organizations across the Horn of Africa continue their vital work amid political pressure and conflict, and how these challenges have shaped protection efforts for women and girls in Sudan over the past two decades. The conversation closes with a powerful call for accountability for abuses against women and girls in the region. 🎧 Listen here: soundcloud.com/evappodcast/ep… #KeepEyesOnSudan #HornOfAfrica #YesTo1325 --------------------------------- @DWAG6 @DNforHR @USEmbassyKRT @AfricaAW @UKinSudan @Af4HA @_Nalafem @noonforwomen @el_karama @feministconsci1 @sudan_doctors @SudanHRH @NidalSaad4 @Yassir_Arman @yassmin_a @BSonblast @Sarajalilo @NU_B_YA @dalia_eltahir @Moh_Gamea @AfricanCentre @SimsimAlbadri @HkZuk @AfriFeminists @UNTrustFundEVAW @unwomensudan @NLinSudan @ngowgwps @_AfricanUnion @4GenderJustice @achpr_cadhp @IGADsecretariat @woman_kind @SimsimAlbadri @banglamarigold @HkZuk @sudanwarmonitor @Golama_Isies @saroyahx @MynameisApes @AyinSudan @SOAWR @sudan_war @taggy_

📖 Our latest Newsletter mailchi.mp/ab0e86c1f1b9/e… highlights the courage, leadership, and unstoppable advocacy of women across the Greater Horn of Africa region. From grassroots organizing to influencing regional and international platforms, these women continue to push boundaries, champion their rights, and advance gender justice, even amidst conflict and systemic barriers. Inside this Edition, you’ll find: 🟢 Reflections from regional and international advocacy spaces including #HRC60, #UNGA2025, #ACHRP and many more. 🟢 Snapshots of grassroots feminist advocacy efforts and movement-building 🟢 Highlights from global commemorations and advocacy campaigns that kept the spirit of women’s rights activism alive. 🟢 Stories of resilience from women’s rights defenders 🟢 Media features and documentaries amplifying women’s lived experiences. 🟢 Press statements and gender alerts calling for accountability, solidarity, and justice. 🟢 New publication from the SIHA library 📖 Read the full edition here: mailchi.mp/ab0e86c1f1b9/e… ------------ @SOAWR @woman_kind @unwomenafrica @awdf01 @gatesfoundation @TrustAfrica @UNTrustFundEVAW @DutchMFA @OpenSocietyAfr @BROT_furdiewelt @MalalaFund @Int_IDEA @giz_gmbh @UAFAfrica @GlobalGiving @PAXvoorvrede @NLcivilsociety @Halayalkarib

Through the @wecannotwait project, we worked to advance gender justice by strengthening grassroots movements, influencing policy reform, and promoting the rights of women and girls. We’re proud to stand alongside passionate women’s right’s activists like you in advancing gender equality. #WCEProject

Thank you @FIDA_Uganda for amplifying the voices of grassroots women, challenging regressive socio-legal norms, and advancing inclusive feminist legal frameworks at both national and regional levels through the #WeCannotWaitProject #WCW

Lamwaka Irene Aziz, a women’s rights activist from Gulu, highlighted how the @wecannotwait project has strengthened their activist group to empower women to step into male-dominated leadership spaces and address gender-based violence in Gulu District. Through this initiative, they have introduced economic empowerment projects, such as liquid soap making, and advocated for access to clean water in partnership with local authorities, successfully securing the installation of eight boreholes. #WCWProject

Celebrating 5 years of @wecannotwait! 🎉 Shoutout to our team leader Lucy Karabo of Girls Life Line Organization for her tireless work empowering girls, challenging gender norms & advancing feminist justice on the ground. 💕#WCW5Years #FeministPower @FIDA_Uganda @Lucykarabo1

Doreen Kisakye, serving under the Kampala Women’s Rights Activists Group, celebrates the solidarity and collective action fostered through the @wecannotwait project. She recalls the devastating Nakawa Market fire, when women from the group came together to support affected members with compassion and resilience. Doreen emphasizes that, with FIDA-Uganda’s support, the women have transformed their voices into power, championing advocacy and driving meaningful change. The group spearheaded the Market Women Act 2023 and successfully advocated for the inclusion of a daycare centre in Nakawa Market, ensuring a more supportive environment for women vendors and their children. #WCWProject

@wecannotwait @Sihanet @Nagaad_Network @musawah @FemnetProg @unwomenuganda @IDLO @women_ewla @FemmeForteUg Serving as our moderator today is @elayzabeth, who leads Advocacy and Communications at FIDA-Uganda. #WCWProject

As we mark 5 years of the @wecannotwait (WCW) project ✨, we reflect on Uganda’s journey within the regional movement, celebrating the resilience of Women’s Rights Activists (WRAs), partners, and consortium members, while showcasing district and national successes, innovations, and stories of change. This milestone is not only about honoring achievements but also about engaging policymakers, consolidating outcomes, and reaffirming our regional solidarity to sustain feminist legal reforms and grassroots movement-building beyond the project 🎉. #WCWProject

📷Today we gather to celebrate 5 years of the @wecannotwait project 🎉, a groundbreaking feminist initiative implemented across the Greater Horn of Africa by a consortium of women’s rights organizations, including FIDA-Uganda, @Sihanet, @musawah, @Nagaad_Network, and @women_ewla. Since its inception, WCW has amplified the voices of grassroots women, challenged regressive socio-legal norms, and advanced inclusive feminist legal frameworks at both national and regional levels. In Uganda, FIDA-Uganda has spearheaded implementation through strategic litigation, legal aid, movement-building, strengthening the capacity of Women’s Rights Activists (WRAs), and policy advocacy. District-level interventions in Gulu, Lira, Pader, Kampala, and Kaabong have created tangible change, empowering WRAs, influencing legislation, and enhancing access to justice. #WCWProject