Violence against women prevalence estimates, 2023: WHO African Region

Overview

This regional overview presents the 2023 prevalence estimates of violence against women in the WHO African Region, comparing regional findings with global estimates. It summarizes the prevalence of physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence among women, including lifetime and past-12-month prevalence by age group. The document also provides estimates of the combined burden of these forms of violence, the estimated numbers of women affected across the region, and country-level estimates of intimate partner violence for WHO African Region Member States, illustrating substantial variation between countries.

The overview highlights that violence against women remains a major public health crisis with profound social and economic consequences and emphasizes the need to strengthen commitments to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls in line with Sustainable Development Goal 5, target 5.2. It identifies priority actions including reinforcing gender-equitable laws and policies, improving data collection and measurement, addressing discriminatory social norms, expanding evidence-based prevention programmes, strengthening survivor-centred multisectoral services, and increasing sustainable financing to support effective responses and prevention efforts.