UN Calls for Improved Justice Systems to Protect Women and Girls in Africa

UN Women for West and Central Africa has called for urgent reforms to justice systems across the region, saying women and girls continue to face barriers that limit their access to protection and fair treatment.

In a statement marking International Women’s Day, UN Women highlighted how gaps in justice allow violence to go unpunished and deny women and girls their rights.

UN reports show that in sub-Saharan Africa, nearly half of identified human trafficking survivors are girls, while women make up about one-third of cases, often facing sexual exploitation and forced labor. From the Sahel to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and northeastern Nigeria, ongoing crises have left women vulnerable to sexual violence, exploitation, and trafficking.

Limited institutional capacity, high costs, and remote locations were highlighted as challenges that further restrict women’s ability to access justice, with long-term effects on livelihoods, economic empowerment, and community safety.

Even in peacetime, deeply entrenched social norms discourage reporting of violence and limit women’s participation in economic, social, and political life. Legal restrictions on family rights, land ownership, and inheritance continue to curtail their full engagement in society, the statement added.

UN Women notes that progress on gender equality remains fragile. Of the US$30.9 billion pledged globally to advance economic justice and women’s rights, only US$27.4 billion has been secured, undermining access to fair justice and perpetuating impunity.

Despite these challenges, UN Women says women’s leadership is key to driving change. Mediators, human rights defenders, justice professionals, and community leaders are working to open access to decision-making spaces, reform institutions, and shift social norms toward equality.