Source: Tanzania Daily News
MEMBERS of Parliament have decried the slow pace in the reduction of gender based violence as government noted it is still grappling with the increased number of reported cases across the country.

The call came out when MPs debated on budget estimates for the Ministry of Community Development, Gender and Children. Legislators were united in noting that domestic violence is still high in the country, urgently asking the ministry to curb the trend.

Tabling the ministry's budget estimates for 2013/2014, the Minister, Ms Sophia Simba said that the year 2012/2013 has witnessed growing number of reported cases of gender based violence, exuding confidence that the ministry has set strategies to fight gender based violence in the coming year.

The minister requested legislators to endorse 23.9 bn/- for the 2013/2014 financial year, where a total of 14bn/- was allocated for recurrent expenditure, 8.6bn/- for paying salaries, 5.3bn/- for other votes and 9.9bn/- for various ministry's development projects and 5.4bn/- is expected from development partners while 4.5bn/- would be generated from local sources.

Among the strategies to fight gender based violence, she said, the ministry will train various regional committees for defence and security, especially in those regions where the rate of gender violence is high.

According to her, the ministry provided training on gender based issues to 163 participants by training 125 men and 38 women from Mwanza, Mara, Shinyanga and Manyara." She said the ministry would focus on providing education on social and community development through the social development colleges.

The minister said 'wananchi' will be trained on how to create job opportunities, engage in innovation and self reliance. The minister told the House that among the efforts that have already shown success including the establishment of vocational training courses at 25 development and training colleges such as Rubondo, Gera and Kisangwa.

Others include Handeni, Msingi, Mwanva, Kasulu, Munguri, Chilala and Maasasi, Malampaka, Mbinga, Chisalu, Kiwanda, Mputa, Newala, Njombe, Chala, Nzega, Mamtukana, Ikwiriri, Katumba, Sengerema, Muhukuru and Sofi. The minister said that in the coming financial year, the ministry will continue to support vocational colleges. So far 1,173 students have enrolled at various training colleges in the country.

The minister said the ministry identified 849,051 street children in 95 councils in the country. The minister said 407,544 of the children, 48 per cent are girls and 441,507 are boys. The minister said the mentioned number of the children was currently getting free medical services, food, education and legal assistance and physiological counselling from various stakeholders.

Representing the parliamentary committee for Community Development, Gender and Children's opinion on the budget estimates, legislator Albert Ntabaliba said government should strengthen the principles of human rights and gender equality among 'wananchi.' He said gender based violence in the society is on the increase, posing a threat to women and children lives.

"Women and children are raped, killed and abused in various ways, we need government to take on serious measures to end the problem," said the committee's spokesman. The opposition shadow minister for Community Development, Gender and Children, Conchesta Rwamlaza told the House that there is a need for government to apply more efforts in curbing gender violence in the country.

"A recent incident in Morogoro region where a eight years girl was raped and beaten up by her father is a vivid example on how these incidents are still rampant in our society," said Ms Rwamlaza. She urged government to stop the killing of the elderly in various regions especially around the Lake zone. She said public records show that until 2011, at least 6,000 elders were killed in different parts of the country.

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