Source: Daily News TZ
The Government has called upon members of the community to support fight against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) subjected to girls and children in the country.
The Minister for Community Development, Gender and Special Groups, Dr Dorothy Gwajima said available statistics show that 70 per cent of victims are girls.
She added that apart from violence against children, adults were subjected to the violence, with women making up 96 per cent of the victims.
"Therefore it is important for the members of the community to unite to end the problem of sexual violence," Dr Gwajima insisted.
Speaking to staff of 'Home of Love and Joy Childcare' located at Hombolo in Dodoma Urban, Dr Gwajima said members of the community have to join efforts to end the vice and create a better society.
She also pointed out that domestic violence was one of the reasons why children flee to the streets and as a result are exposed to other forms of violence that affect their growth in various ways.
Minister Gwajima during availed that during the 2020/21 fiscal year, the government and its stakeholders implemented many interventions, including identifying 5,390 children living in the streets and 135 of them were returned to their families and 821 were given school supplies.
"Government has also continued to provide services to victims of including, legal services whereby in the year 2020/21 at least 3,889 cases were filed in courts of law and 1,504 perpetrators have since been sentenced," she pointed out.
The Minister tipped that her ministry is devoted to strengthen the coordination of stakeholders who implement various interventions to prevent and address gender-based violence in line with strengthening systems for reporting such incidents at family and community level.
She also expressed government's commitment to continue supporting the campaign dubbed 'Twende pamoja ukatili sasa basi' (literally meaning 'Let's move together, stop gender-based violence').
The campaign encourages members of the community to raise aware on each other on how to prevent GBV.
However, Dr Gwajima underscored the role of community development officers in addressing marital disputes in collaboration with religious and traditional leaders as the way to reduce or end GBV.
"In addition, the government will continue to strengthen the women and child protection committees at the national, regional, district, ward, and village levels to prevent acts of violence," she expressed.