Between November 2020 and November 2022, hundreds of thousands of Tigrayan women and girls were subjected to systematic, genocidal sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) by members of the Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF), Eritrean Defence Forces (EDF), Amhara Forces, and Afar Forces. 

A comprehensive new report by the Commission of Inquiry on Tigray Genocide (CITG), titled “War-Induced Genocidal Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Tigray, Ethiopia” (October 2025), has confirmed that these atrocities constitute crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. 

What Happened 

According to the CITG report, among 481,201 respondents in Tigray: 

• 286,250 survivors (59.5%) experienced at least one form of gender-based violence.
• 152,406 survivors (53.1%) were raped; many were victims of gang rape, sexual slavery, and mutilation with foreign objects.
• 38,573 survivors (25.3% of those raped) endured the insertion of sharp or harmful objects into their genitals or anus.
• 37,361 survivors (24.5% of those raped) were forced to witness the rape of family members, while 23,152 survivors (15.2%) were forced to commit sexual violence themselves.
• 210,818 survivors (73.6%) now live with severe psychological trauma.
• The EDF, ENDF, Amhara, and Afar forces are collectively responsible. 

These were not random acts of war. They were systematic, coordinated, and genocidal — intended to destroy Tigrayan women, families, and communities. 

Why It Matters 

Three years after the war, hundreds of thousands of survivors still live without justice, care, or recognition. Many face stigma, untreated injuries, infertility, and lifelong trauma. 

The pain of survivors is made far worse by the denial of these atrocities by the Ethiopian government, key political leaders, and segments of Ethiopian society at large.
This widespread denial and silencing not only perpetuate impunity but also deepen the wounds of survivors who are still waiting for acknowledgment and justice.

It is critical to reverse this denial by giving due recognition to the atrocities that occurred against women and girls in Tigray. 

Moreover, many survivors have been forced to leave their homes of origin due to stigma, rejection, and isolation from their communities.

To rebuild their lives, survivors must be reintegrated into their communities through awareness programs that challenge negative social attitudes and promote empathy, inclusion, and justice.

They also need livelihood support — including access to startup capital, vocational training, and technical assistance — to restore their economic independence and dignity.

Governments, humanitarian agencies, and international donors must prioritize survivor reintegration and empowerment as a key part of the recovery process. 

The CITG found that Ethiopia’s domestic transitional justice process is incapable of delivering justice, due to government involvement in the crimes and the lack of independence and gender sensitivity in national mechanisms. 

Without international action, impunity will prevail — and genocidal sexual violence will remain a weapon of war in Ethiopia and beyond. 

Our Demands 

We, the undersigned, call upon the international community to act now to: 

• Establish an independent international accountability mechanism — through the UN Security Council — to investigate and prosecute genocidal sexual and gender-based violence in Tigray.
• Provide urgent survivor-centered rehabilitation, including trauma care, reproductive health, fistula treatment, and mental health services across Tigray.
• Mobilize international donors to fund safe shelters, psychosocial programs, economic recovery initiatives, and survivor reintegration efforts.
• Support livelihood and skills programs that provide survivors with startup capital, training, and technical assistance to rebuild their lives.
• Launch awareness and community sensitization programs to combat stigma, restore social acceptance, and promote reintegration of survivors.
• Integrate gender, disability, and survivor inclusion in all humanitarian, reconstruction, and peacebuilding processes.
• Recognize sexual and gender-based violence in Tigray as an act of genocide and act accordingly under international law.
• Ensure that Ethiopian and Eritrean officials, commanders, and soldiers responsible for these crimes are brought to justice through impartial and independent processes. 

Who We Are Addressing 

We are calling on the following international bodies and donors to take urgent action: 

• United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
• Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
• UN Women, UNFPA, and UNICEF
•  International Court of Justice (ICJ)
• African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR)
• European Union External Action Service (EEAS)
• United States Government (USAID & State Department)
• UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)
• Global Affairs Canada, NORAD, World Bank, and other major international donors 

Our Call 

Tigrayan women and girls are still waiting for justice. Their pain cannot be forgotten — and silence is complicity. 

We call on the international community to stand with survivors, demand accountability, and fund the healing, reintegration, and recovery of those who endured genocidal sexual violence. 

Justice delayed is justice denied. For Tigrayan women, justice must begin now. 

✍️ Sign and share this petition to amplify the voices of survivors and demand that global leaders deliver justice, recognition, protection, and reparations.