No More Stolen Sisters: Addressing Femicide Against Indigenous Women and Girls. Africa and Arab States Regional Report

This report presents a summary of the discussions, insights, and recommendations from the Africa and Arab States regional roundtable on No More Stolen Sisters. Addressing Femicide Against Indigenous Women and Girls, hosted by CEVAW and UNFPA. High rates of impunity for Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and femicide persist due to state inaction and systemic failures in justice systems, which are reinforced by communal systems where women are pressured to remain silent about their experience of violence. Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a particular challenge, often normalised and dismissed as "correction" or family issues. The highest femicide rates are for women and girls with disabilities. Due to lack of trust in formal systems, culturally grounded healing approaches are vital for truth-telling, collective healing, and restoring women’s agency. There is a need to integrate Indigenous reporting and justice mechanisms alongside formal systems, whilst ensuring survivor protection, consent, and human rights safeguards.