Accra, Ghana, October 14, 2026: Gender Lens Africa (GLA), an independent African media platform reporting on gender, power, justice, money, culture, sports, digital and society, has announced Through Her Lens, an editorial campaign to mark the 2026 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, running from 25 November to 10 December.

Aligned with the global theme, “UNiTE to End Violence Against Women and Girls: Ensure justice, protect survivors, end impunity,” the campaign will examine how violence against women and girls is addressed across Africa, with particular attention to access to justice, survivor protection, institutional accountability and efforts to prevent further harm.

Violence against women and girls remains a major human rights concern worldwide. UN Women estimates that nearly one in three women has experienced physical and/or sexual violence at least once in her lifetime. Yet access to justice, protection and essential support remains out of reach for many survivors. The 2026 campaign calls for effective justice systems, protection for survivors and accountability for perpetrators and institutions that fail to act.

Through Her Lens will use journalism and public-interest storytelling to move beyond general awareness of gender-based violence and examine what happens when violence is reported, whether survivors can obtain meaningful support and redress, and what governments, institutions and communities must do to prevent abuse and end impunity.

“We cannot keep having the same conversations about violence against women and girls without asking harder questions about justice and accountability. When a survivor reports violence, what happens next? Can she access protection, legal support and the services she needs? What happens when the institutions responsible for protecting her fail? These are the questions our reporting must confront,” said Bridget Mensah, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Gender Lens Africa.

“Through Her Lens is about looking beyond the headlines to examine the systems, decisions and social attitudes that allow violence to continue. We want to amplify work that is making a difference, but we also want to scrutinise failures, challenge silence and insist that the rights and safety of women and girls are taken seriously.”

The campaign will feature opinion articles, news stories, reported features, expert analysis, research findings, data-led explainers, photo stories, short videos and audio contributions. Gender Lens Africa is inviting journalists, feminist writers, researchers, women's rights organisations, civil society groups, legal professionals, university groups, activists and community organisations to contribute.

Gender Lens Africa is particularly interested in submissions that examine barriers to justice, gaps in survivor protection, the implementation of laws and policies, technology-facilitated gender-based violence, institutional responses and grassroots initiatives working to prevent violence.

The campaign will also recognise that gender-based violence is not confined to one setting. It can occur in homes, workplaces, educational institutions, public spaces and digital environments. Online abuse can intersect with offline violence, while inadequate institutional responses can leave survivors exposed to further harm.

Gender Lens Africa will apply a survivor-centred, trauma-aware editorial approach throughout the campaign. Survivor accounts will be considered only with informed consent and appropriate safeguarding measures. The platform will prioritise accuracy, dignity and the safety of contributors, and will not publish identifying information where doing so could expose survivors to avoidable harm.

Call for contributions

Gender Lens Africa invites contributions from across Africa. Opinion articles and expert commentary should generally be between 800 and 1,000 words, allowing contributors to develop their arguments, provide evidence and propose practical responses to gender-based violence.

Other submissions may include news stories, reported features, research findings, data-led explainers, event announcements, press releases, activity reports, photo stories and short video or audio contributions of 30–60 seconds. Length and format should be appropriate to the material, with contributors welcome to seek editorial guidance where necessary.

Submissions should be original, factually supported and relevant to the campaign's priorities. Contributors should provide their name, organisational affiliation where applicable, contact details and supporting sources. Photographs and other materials must be accompanied by relevant captions and permissions.

The deadline for submissions to be considered during the campaign's opening week is 20 November 2026. Contributions will continue to be accepted until 10 December, subject to editorial capacity. All submissions will be reviewed, and publication is not guaranteed.

To contribute, email genderlensafrica@gmail.com or contact Gender Lens Africa via WhatsApp on +233 20 167 4346. Email submissions should use the subject line THROUGH HER LENS (Title of submission).

Through Her Lens forms part of Gender Lens Africa's commitment to reporting African stories through a gender lens, examining the relationship between power and inequality, and bringing public attention to the issues that shape women's and girls' lives.

ENDS

Media and campaign enquiries

Gender Lens Africa

Email: genderlensafrica@gmail.com

Website: https://genderlens.africa/