PRESS RELEASE

African countries send representatives to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro as part of the UNiTE campaign to End Violence against Women and Girls

75 men, women and youth commenced their three day trek to the top of Africa’s highest mountain – Mt. Kilimanjaro, standing at 5,895m or 19,341-ft above sea level. The climbers representing 36 African countries, 14 United Nations agencies, business, women’s rights activists and civil society organisations are participating in a continent-wide campaign to end violence against women and girls. This initiative is part of Africa UNiTE, the Africa component of the UN Secretary General global UNiTE campaign on ending violence against women.. The Climb under the theme ‘Speak Out, Climb Up’ aims to:

· Raise awareness and the visibility of violence against women and girls as a key issue for development, peace and security in Africa; and

· Mobilise national commitments from African governments civil society organisations, the private sector and development partners to take action to prevent violence against women, provide services to survivors, and end impunity by perpetrators of the violence.

The Climbers were flagged off by H.E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, president of the Republic of Tanzania, at Marangu Gate, and are expected to reach the summit on March 8, International Women’s Day. As he sent them off the President Kikwete told the climbers “I want you to Climb Up and Shout out at the top of your voices when you reach the summit. Let the echo of your voices reverberate back to us so that we hear you from the heights above. Indeed, silence can no longer be tolerated.” The President decried the prevalence of violence against women and girls and its negative impacts, asserting that violence against women is undermining Africa’s efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. He observed that at the regional level, Africa has the policy framework necessary to achieve the goal of ending violence against women and called on all governments to ensure that they take concrete actions to implement existing commitments including by ensuring that ending violence against women and girls is reflected in national planning frameworks and that adequate funding is provided for sustained actions.

Speaking on behalf of the UN organisations participating in the Africa UNiTE campaign, Mr. John Hendra, Assistant Secretary General and Deputy Executive Director of UN Women said “In the spirit of Julius Nyerere, we all have a responsibility to keep the candle burning bright to end violence against women and girls – both at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro and all around the world”

He also highlighted the fact that violence against women and girls is a heavy burden for all with devastating costs and consequences, not only to the human rights and lives of those affected but also to societies and economies as a whole. Such violence translates into millions of dollars of lost wages and productivity and additional health, counseling, police and legal costs to already overstretched public budgets every year.

“Reaching the summit of Kilimanjaro is a metaphor for overcoming life’s adversities and during these next few days, underlines the importance of creating positive, social change,” said three-time climber Michael J. Connery, Jr. president/CEO of United Nations Federal Credit Union (UNFCU), a longtime KI and UN Women partner. UNFCU, a member-owned, New York City-based financial cooperative, contributed towards the provisioning of the climb, as well as insurance coverage for the climbers through high-risk provider Clements Worldwide.

“The climb will be rigorous and painful, but I will get to the peak. So is our fight for emancipation as women, it might be long and painful, but we will get there”, said a smiling 29-year-old Flight Lieutenant Betty Ncube.

The Climb was organized by the UN System in collaboration with the African Union Commission, Kilimanjaro Initiative, Globalbikers and other partners.