Beyond the obvious: Investigating underutilised strategies for empowering women survivors of violence and marginalisation in Africa

Abstract

Despite decades of gender-based violence (GBV) interventions in Africa, empowerment strategies for women survivors often rely on conventional measures such as legal reform, shelters, and aid, which overlook community-rooted innovations. This article explores underutilised, culturally anchored strategies across African regions, including faith-based advocacy, storytelling cooperatives, indigenous healing, women’s energy initiatives, and stokvel networks. Using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and African-centred theory as frameworks, this study argues that sustainable empowerment arises from survivor leadership, collective agency, and green innovation. Examples like women-led stokvels, solar energy cooperatives, trauma-informed entrepreneurship, and mobile justice demonstrate how empowerment can be holistic and contextually grounded. By centring regional philosophies and survivor agency, the article offers a practical roadmap for advancing social justice and gender equity in African communities. The findings suggest that policies and programmes must support locally driven, survivor-led models to address survivors’ complex needs from safety to self-actualisation. It is recommended that policymakers, practitioners, and funders prioritise investment in integrated, culturally relevant, and sustainable empowerment approaches that amplify survivor voices and leverage indigenous knowledge.

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