Women's Ministries of the Seventh-day Adventist Church led civic marches through the streets of two Cuanza-Sul cities on Sunday, 23 August 2026, calling for an end to domestic violence and greater public awareness within families.

The marches, held in Sumbe and Porto Amboim, brought together women, young people, and teenagers 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, alongside Coast Mission President Pastor Afonso Figura Cardoso 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 30 July 2026, the National Assembly approved, with 169 votes in favour, 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 the organisers, however, addressing violence is not solely a legislative matter but a responsibility shared by the church and wider society.

The marches carried three central messages: that domestic violence should neither be hidden nor treated as normal; that healthy families are built on respect, dialogue, and dignity; and that those who are suffering are not alone, with help available and 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.

The presence of women, young people, and teenagers across the two marches reflected a cause that organisers said crosses generational lines — and a conviction that where there is silence, the church has a role in helping people find their voice.