Violence Against Women
The government will establish a research and documentation centre to enhance collection of gender disaggregated data on gender-based violence in the country, Union Vice-President Dr Gharib Mohammed Bilal said here over the weekend.
The vice-president, who was opening the meeting of the ministers responsible for women affairs and gender from the International Conference of Great Lakes Region member countries, said the centre would be established at the Arusha-based Community Development Training Institute (CDTI).
He said the initiative was part of government efforts to scale-down sexual and gender based violence in the country. “This is part of our efforts to address these harmful practices, and this centre will be used in reporting the conventions which Tanzania has ratified.”
He noted that the curriculum of police training has been reviewed to include women rights issues so as to enforce law with a gender perspective. “As a result gender desks have been established in most of the police stations as centres to assist women in getting their rights.”
Dr Bilal revealed that reported cases on violence against women and children have increased from 82, 707 in 2002 to 88,525 in 2010. “This has been possible through the “Stop Female Genital Mutilation,” campaign held across Tanzania.
“The country has been sensitising the public on the need to remove gender based violence and the necessity to build a positive and a true portrayal of women as well as training of media personnel to report violence against women and children,” he said.
ICGLR Executive Secretary Liberata Mulamula said women and girls have been suffering from the shameful scourge, calling for political will amongst leaders in the region.
She called for collective efforts to reduce and ultimately stop discrimination, torture, violence and sexual abuse against women for sustainable peace and security.
“We should all rally behind the attainment of sustainable peace and stability in the region. If we don’t do anything, the plight and suffering of women will continue to prevail in this part of Africa,” she told the gathering which involved ministers from GLR, representatives of international organisations and activists.
Ambassador Mulamula said for more than a decade the region has been characterised by conflicts, wars and genocide, which in turn, had caused more misery to women and children than any other group in the society.
“We want to see women in this region to live free without fear anymore and actively play their role in socio-economic activities in their respective countries,” said Rose Rwabubihi, representative of the UN system.
She said that the UN was committed much to end sexual and gender violence against women and children across the world.
The meeting involved eleven ministers responsible for women affairs and gender development from the Great Lakes region.
