Violence Against Women
A major challenge that confronts many people today is increasing unhappiness in families, in relationships, at work and in our communities.
To respond to this issue different ideas come to mind; is it because of too much work? Or because people do not have the means to make ends meet? Everybody has personally explanations. But for human and women’s rights activists the major reason for increasing unhappiness is the overwhelming violence.
Recent researches reveal that the magnitude of violence in Tanzania is on the rise. There so much Gender Based Violence (GBV), Domestic Violence and Violence Against Women (VAW).
GBV encompasses violence against women, men and children while VAW is any act of violence against women. Such violence include: Female genital cutting, women stereotyping, unwanted sex, unwanted sexual demands/comments or advances etc.
Although it didn’t indicate the state of affairs of unhappiness in the country, the 2010 Tanzania Demographic Health Surveys (DHS) findings revealed that we are living in a country where more than one third of all women have suffered physical and psychological violence at some point since the age of 15.
The survey indicates that women and children suffer sexual violence such as forced sex, rape and molestation. Minors are victims of sexual abuses by their close relatives some are defiled, sodomized, trafficked and forced to do hard labour.
Do we think that we will have happy marriages, families and relationships if almost every woman or girl in the country has experienced violence? Where will the happiness come from if physical and sexual violence is instituted against majority women, children and the marginalized group?
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Programme Officer, Anna Holmstrom, speaking to editors in Dar es Salaam recently noted that violence, particularly GBV, was devastating livelihoods in the Eastern and Central African region.
“In Eastern and Central Africa region GBV underlie the spread of HIV/AIDS because women are unable to negotiate sex. It causes unpleasant sex among partners, culminating into increased Maternal Mortality (MM) and higher fertility rates,” she noted.
Holmstrom indicated that in many cases GBV was a major setback to nations’ development and progress. In many areas of the country, he added, GBV was a stumbling block to women’s development and their contribution to social and economic advancement.
She said the menace was most likely to pose a critically challenge for many developing countries in attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Data collected from the August 2011 National Violence Against Children Survey which was launched by the UN Undersecretary, Dr Asha Rose Migiro, revealed that GBV among boys in the country was alarming, particularly in Zanzibar.
Another data brought up the UNFPA official indicated that over 70 per cent of Tanzanian children – both boys and girls - have been beaten, flogged or whipped during childhood.
GBV is overwhelming because women are taught to accept and tolerate all forms of violence. The culture of silence prevailing in the country prevents people from intervening and talking about it, Holmstrom reckoned.
The data epitomizes that sexual violence is alarming and frustrating in Tanzania as the research found that 10 per cent of women in the country lost their virginity through rape or women lost their virginity through forced sex. In another area the research found that 48 per cent of married women have experienced sexual harassment.
It is obvious that it hard to have blissful life and relationships if majority of women have suffered and continue to experience serious violence in their lives.
The UNFPA and Tanzania Media Women’s Association (TAMWA) are collaborating to engage media strategically in order to focus more attention on demystifying GBV. The UNFPA/TAMWA/Editors campaign is intending to make national wide impact toward educating the society on the negative impacts of GBV and VAW on the national social, economic and human development.
Speaking during the editors meeting the TAMWA Executive Director, Ananilea Nkya, elaborated that GBV is about systems and cultures underlining societies in which people live in.
She underscored the need for the media to understand GBV and the heart (centre) of it in order for the editors to be able to help society to curb the problem. She reckoned that if media is utilized strategically, it can influence and transform the society while making a big difference in the war against GBV and VAW.
In order for the nation to root out GBV, VAW and domestic violence the citizenry must say no to violence through expressing personal commitments and responsibilities to intervene and stop GBV acts at any time and at any place.
In the communities GBV should not be excused by cultures or systems or anything and everybody should take GBV as a violation of human rights, a crime that should never be justified. Therefore, we should strive for zero tolerance to GBV in Tanzania.
Speaking as a partner in the war against GBV, an official from Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF) , Jacqueline Waya, challenged the government and other stakeholders to eradicate GBV in Tanzania. She noted that 50 Years of Independence women and children in Tanzania are seriously entangled in poverty and GBV clutches.
Waya challenged the media to take lead in the GBV war, adding that the National Theme for the forthcoming 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign 2011 is 50 Years of Independence: Refuse GBV to Uphold a Free Tanzania, translated in Kiswahili: Miaka 50 ya Uhuru Pinga Ukatili wa Kijinsia Kuimarisha Tanzania Huru.
Tanzania women rights activists amplify anti GBV campaigns during the Marking of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence which is commemorated from November 25 to December 10 every year.
Some measures which have been instituted to control GBV in Tanzania include the enactment of Sexual Special Provision Act of 1998 that criminalizes GBV particularly rape, sodomy, female genital cut and unwanted sexual advances.
Others measures are making available counselling services to survivors, providing legal aid services to the GBV survivors , establishment of shelters and dropping centres to keep the survivors, easy provision of Police Form number 3 (PF3) and the establishment of Police Gender Desks at police stations.