Every year on March 8, the world pauses to celebrate women. We honor their leadership, applaud their resilience, and measure our collective progress toward equality. But through my work with the Nyomora Foundation, I have come to realize a sobering truth: Celebration without healing is incomplete.
As we observe International Women’s Day 2026 under the theme “Give to Gain,” we are called to embrace a spirit of generosity, collaboration, and shared responsibility. This year, the most urgent application of this mindset lies in confronting Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and the profound mental health crisis it leaves in its wake.
If we truly wish to gain a world of equality, peace, and empowered communities, we must first give safety, compassion, and sustained psychological support.
The Stories Behind the Statistics
In my work in mental health advocacy, I have listened to the stories that rarely make the headlines. These are the narratives that exist in the quiet spaces after the “event” of violence has passed:
• The Survivors: Women who have escaped physical abuse but remain trapped by recurring nightmares.
• The Silent Fighters: Young girls who carry a veneer of confidence in public while battling crippling anxiety in private.
• The Mothers: Women who shoulder the heavy burden of trauma while trying to raise the next generation in strength.
In Rwanda, we have made remarkable strides in promoting women’s leadership and gender equity. Yet, GBV remains a critical national priority. We must acknowledge a difficult reality: Violence does not end when the bruises fade. It persists in the mind, lingers in the nervous system, and echoes through future relationships.
Understanding the Invisible Wounds
Gender-Based Violence is not merely a legal or social hurdle; it is a mental health emergency. To address it effectively, we must look beyond the physical and recognize the “invisible wounds” that reshape a survivor’s life:
1. Reconfigured Safety: Trauma fundamentally changes how a person perceives the world, often making “safe” environments feel threatening.
2. Hyper-vigilance: Anxiety keeps the body in a state of constant high alert, exhausting the spirit and the immune system.
3. Cyclical Trauma: Without intervention, untreated psychological wounds can impact family dynamics and community cohesion.
The “Give to Gain” Mandate
To “Give to Gain” in the context of GBV means moving beyond awareness and toward active investment in healing. It means:
• Giving Space: Creating environments where survivors can speak without judgment.
• Giving Resources: Investing in mental health infrastructure that is accessible to every woman, regardless of her socio-economic status.
• Gaining Peace: When we heal the individual, we stabilize the family. When we stabilize the family, we empower the nation.
This International Women’s Day, let us commit to a celebration that includes the hard work of restoration. Let us focus on the invisible wounds so that every woman can truly achieve the future she deserves.