Source: Tanzania Daily News
Almost 300 people, the majority of them men and boys, have turned up to attend a community public meeting held to promote the rights of women and children in Tarime district, Mara region.

The meeting, which was held at Serengeti ground in Tarime town, was organized by Children's Dignity Forum (CDF), a non- governmental organization, through its new project dubbed 'MenEngage.'

"The aim was to involve men and boys in promoting the rights of women and children in Tarime," MenEngage Project Coordinator, Ms Dorothea Ernest, told the 'Daily News' in Tarime on Thursday morning.

Officials from the Community Development and Health Departments of Tarime district also attended the meeting, which was coloured by traditional dance groups locally known as Iritungu.

A day prior to the community meeting the NGO had organized a dialogue with 40 men and boys here to lay out strategies aimed reducing gender- based violence (GBV) in the district.

"We are happy that the response of Tarime men and boys during the dialogue and the community meeting was very positive and we expect to continue reaching many other men and boys to be part of the desired changes," she added.

The three-year project is designed to boost on-going campaigns against female mutilation (FGM), child marriages and teenage pregnancies with the support of Sonke Gender Justice of South Africa through CDF.

With its headquarters in Dar es Salaam, CDF had also opened an office in Tarime Town Council that has seen it enhancing campaigns against FGM, child marriages and teenage pregnancies in rural parts of Tarime in the recent years. The local organization is enjoying good cooperation from Tarime district leaders.

• Tanzania