The #BlackLivesMatter movement is in the news again. An international Human Rights movement founded in 2013 in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer has taken global centre stage with street protest, social media storms etc offering political opportunities for leaders across the world.

A movement with a clear goal to build power to bring justice, healing and freedom to Black people across the globe is the right tool for another response to endemic racial disparities and discrimination in the United States of America. George Floyd’s death as a result of his inhumane experience with white police in Minnesota is fuelling the global anger this time.

The loss of life of one black man at the hands of white police has shown the potential to even unseat leadership, particularly in the US. Floyd’s last words “I can’t breathe” has dominated the call to action. The rage is one that demands an immediate action plan from political, social and religious leaders across the world. One black life lost has become momentum for action. Many have shown twitter support, used the #ICantBreathe across their various social media platforms. Last Tuesday, Instagram experienced its unique show of solidarity in a black background post and our government held a memorial in honour Floyd on Friday.

Whilst all these were unfolding, Uwavera Omozuwa a 22-year old Nigerian student with a dream of becoming a nurse was raped and killed at Redeemed Christian Church of God. Yes, it is not the first time a young lady was raped and killed. I prayed knowing it will not be the last time. However, we have the opportunity to make Rape Lives Matter too.

#JusticeForUwa trended in Nigeria. It witnessed no global response. The rage was not even felt and experienced in Ghana. It quickly became a Nigerian problem deserving a Nigerian response. No one was on the street. It never counted as a life lost deserving a global response.

The mixed reaction to this sudden death of a young lady who was in the church to learn in aid of her dreams is discouraging. To those who sought to seek justification for why a church as a learning place, you remain part of the problem. To those who never took interest in promoting the call for action, you have disappointed us.

We must begin to show our anger. Rape is no more gender-based violence. It’s a crime against humanity. The service lost due to the rape and killing of Uwa should have been a service to humanity. (She wanted to become a nurse. Don’t forget health workers’ role in our current Covid-19 Pandemic crisis).

#JusticeForUwa and others who continue to suffer the consequences of rape should not end without one. We must rise in arm against the culture with the potential of silencing many young women's dreams. A culture of the show of strength against weaker sex.

To think that this culture continues and has taken a new form of raping and killing its victim in a religious ground is sacrilege. We cannot fail our generation. We cannot assume rape has attained normalcy in our society. If a Black lost in a racially discriminatory act could unearth global anger, then lives lost through rape must put all of us into the anger mode.

Express your anger! Mobilise to support the call to action to end this culture of rape. It is no more just a crime, it has the end of society at hand. It has attained levels to be considered an International Human Right issue.

Yes, now it’s time for #RapeLivesMatter. Let’s show our rage and get justice for the victims. Let’s make it a global issue. We may be saving our world.

The author, Gifty Yayra Eli is a nurse and an entrepreneur in Ghana.