Tanzania: Govt Devises Friendly System for GBV Victims to Report Abuses

THE government is charting out the best friendly system in which harassed and victimised children can report the incidents, of which 60 per cent perpetrators are family members.

Issuing the government statement ahead of the Day of the African Child to be celebrated on June 16 every year, Minister for Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups, Dr Dorothy Gwajima asked children to come out and report abuse incidents.

Speaking at Mnadani Primary School here, Dr Gwajima warned the perpetrators of child abuse, saying their days are numbered.

For the start, she said, children if they feel that they cannot share with colleagues or relatives about abuse incidents, they can call 116 toll-free and the case will be handled without disclosing the source.

Moreover, she said, while 60 per cent of the child abuse perpetrators are family members, the remaining 40 per cent are being done in schools.

“Protect one another, be open when you face any sort of abuse and tell your confidant and in case you do not trust those around you, call 116, so that we can jointly bring the children’s harassment to an end,” she insisted.

Minister Gwajima said the government will strengthen child protection measures to end violence and child abuses.

Moreover, she said, a number of interventions including improvement of policies, regulation and guidelines to ensure children rights are being adhered.

She outlined some of the intervention is coming up with gender and children desk at all police stations countrywide, which has helped fast-track hearing of child abuse cases and arraigning of perpetrators.

Also the government has increased the number of juvenile courts from three in 2015/16 to 141 as of January, this year.

Moreover, she said, the government has coordinated the formation of 20-one stop centres, which offer among other health services to the violent acts in selected hospitals.

She named the health facilities with the one stop centres as Amana, Mwananyamala, Tumbi, Iringa, Sekou Toure, Mbeya FFU, Simiyu, Shinyanga, Kahama, Hai, Kitete, Mount Meru, Nindo, Kasulu TC, Kasulu DC, Kibondo DC, Chanika (Ilala CC), Sabasaba (Morogoro MC), Jordan University (Morogoro MC) and Mvomero DC.

The minister underscored the need for parents and guardians as well as the community to play their roles of taking care and protection of children against abuse issues.

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