Mercy Corps Hosts Regional Conference on Gender-Based Violence in the Sahel

Tahoua, December 9, 2025 - As part of the Justice and Stability in the Sahel (JASS) program, Mercy Corps convened a regional conference in Bouza, bringing together exemplary husbands and wives from Mali and Niger to promote positive masculinity and prevent gender-based violence (GBV).

Funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the initiative aligns with the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign and aims to mainstream gender equality into regional stability strategies. Organizers emphasized the importance of reshaping cultural norms and empowering communities to reduce social vulnerabilities exacerbated by ongoing conflict in the Sahel.

The program is expected to strengthen community cohesion and contribute to the broader Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) objectives of the JASS program. Independent observers have welcomed its potential to foster long-term behavioral change.

However, experts caution that without strengthened legislative oversight and greater investment in education, the impact of such initiatives may be limited, particularly amid persistent challenges such as the forced displacement of over 400,000 people in Mali.