Comprehensive monitoring of SRHR violations reveals a troubling and consistent pattern: security and civic space for SRHR advocacy are rapidly shrinking.
The We Lead program, which supports young women whose sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are neglected most, received, documented and processed 66 security incidents, threats and attacks in the period between 2022 and 2025. The data and cases underscore a deteriorating environment in Kenya, Uganda, Niger, Nigeria, Mozambique, Jordan, Lebanon, Honduras, and Guatemala, where SRHR defenders and organizations face increasing threats, harassment, and systemic repression.
Key conclusions – the cases
1. The most common form of violation was cyberbullying, with 18 reported cases, underscoring the increasing weaponization of digital platforms to harass, discredit, and silence voices advocating for SRHR.
2. This was followed by cases involving physical abuse, assault, and attacks, reflecting the persistent exposure of SRHR advocates to direct bodily harm and intimidation in both public and private spaces.
Key conclusions – the perpetrators
1. Among the key perpetrators were state actors, particularly the police, who accounted for most of the violations. Their actions were often carried out under the guise of enforcing public morality or national security.
2. Non-state actors also played a significant role, with conservative bloggers and online influencers using their platforms to mobilize public hostility and spread misinformation.
Safety as a foundation of advocacy
The experience from our We Lead program shows that safety and security can no longer be an afterthought. From strategic planning to peer support, and from trauma care to digital defense, every layer of this work has made advocacy safer, smarter, and more sustainable. In this We Lead Safety & Security Learning Brief, we share important lessons and recommendations.
The We Lead team also produced a practical, rights-based and contextually relevant Safety and Security Training Manual. This resource is aimed at equipping young women and their allies with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to protect themselves and continue their critical work safely.
Journey of Courage
Despite the deteriorating environment, young women have decided not to be passive victims. They are rising with fierce defiance and unwavering resolve; they are reclaiming their space, their bodies, and their voices. In Journey of Courage, we share the stories of young women who challenged stigma, reimagined possibilities, and turned advocacy into lasting action for SRHR.
Each story is a seed, a future transformation that has been planted in policies, movements, and communities across nine countries. Together, these seeds tell a larger story of collective power, resilience, and progress.
