The South-Western Angola Union Mission women's ministries department led two civic marches through the streets of two cities in Cuanza-Sul, Angola, on August 23. The marches called for an end to domestic violence and greater public awareness of domestic violence within families.

The marches, held in Sumbe and Porto Amboim, brought women, young adults, and teenagers together in a public demonstration of solidarity with victims.

In Sumbe, participants were joined by Clara Tavares, vice-governor of Cuanza-Sul for the political and social sector; Afonso Figura Cardoso, president of Angola Coastal Mission; and pastors from the city.

In Porto Amboim, marchers set out from the Cabeça do Comboio area under the leadership of local pastor Jorge Tchikambi, carrying banners reading "Adventist women say NO to domestic violence."

The marches come at a significant moment for Angola. On July 30, the National Assembly approved a proposal to amend the country's Law on Domestic Violence. Among the proposed measures are the classification of domestic violence as a public crime and an increase in the maximum prison sentence to 15 years.

For organizers, however, addressing violence is not solely a legislative matter but a responsibility shared by the church and wider community.

The marchers carried three central messages: domestic violence should neither be hidden nor treated as normal; healthy families are built on respect, dialogue, and dignity; and those who are suffering are not alone and have help available through a community willing to support them.

Participants recalled the words of Psalm 46:1, describing God as a refuge and an ever-present help in trouble.

Organizers said the presence of women, young adults, and teenagers at both marches reflected a conviction that where there is silence, the Seventh-day Adventist Church has a duty to help people find their voice.

The original article was published in the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division news site.