United Nations Women has implemented several action plans in African countries, to help change social attitudes that lead to the prevalence of crimes against females. In October 2023, a summary of its campaign in Ethiopia was published, enlightening about the extent to which underlying social factors can affect cultural realities.
The case study illustrates the issue of child marriage in the region, through the testimony of Mengistie Tegenie, a young man whose four sisters were forced to marry at an early age. The initiative of UN women, in partnership with other local and international organisations, started in 2021 and has allocated funds to prevent and respond to child marriage in countries across Africa.
The main task has been the creation of awareness raising campaigns at grassroot level, in the form of community conversations engaging women, children, and men. The key innovation was the involvement of community leaders, who can help modify the notion on the extent to which harmful practices affect women and girls.