Source: Tanzania Daily News
"IT is widely agreed that women in Africa are the foundation of most major institutions. Food production in Africa is carried out largely by women. The health of families, especially the health of children, depends largely on women."

The above words were uttered recently by a renowned media professional who teaches at Saint Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT), Prof Robert White.

According to him, women are central in hospitals and other health institutions and in the area of education, it is women who supervise the education of the children in the family context and most of the experienced teachers in our schools are women. He adds that women are central in the management of different economic institutions - the treasurers, bursars and cashiers.

Prof White says that if women are so central to development in Africa, they should be features in the media as leaders in the formation of public opinion and public decision making.

In fact, all the research evidence shows just the opposite. Women are consistently marginalised in the media.

Apart from the area of media coverage, The Executive Director for Tanzania Media Women's Association (TAMWA) Valerie Msoka urged the Media editor to give chance to gender equality issues so as to stop gender based violence.

"It is very possible for Tanzanians to have Tanzania which is free of gender based violence (GBV), but what is lacking is sufficient knowledge about GBV, good will to stop it to some of members of the community," she says.

Msoka says that TAMWA recently conducted a survey in 10 districts of Tanzania and the report was launched on April, this year highlighting the real situation of GBV in the surveyed areas and factors limiting stakeholders' efforts to defend women's and children's rights in the country.

"The survey is part of the gender equality and women empowerment programme (GEWE II) implemented by TAMWA and other four organisations defending the rights of women and children namely TGNP (Tanzania Gender Networking Programme), TAWLA (Tanzania Women Lawyers Association), ZAFELA (Zanzibar Female Lawyers Association) and RCC which is TAMWA's Crisis Resolving Centre," says Msoka.

The concept gender based violence (GBV) might be difficult to understand but TAMWA defines it as an umbrella term for any act, omission or conduct that is perpetuated against a person's will and that is based on socially ascribed differences (gender) between males and females.

It was revealed that most of the GBV parametres are not clearly known. "The levels of awareness on gender based violence among the women and girls in the ten districts are generally very low. There is no clear structure of reporting gender based violence.

Coping mechanisms for GBV survivors are inadequate, not well structures and uncoordinated," the report shows.

One of the publications titled GENDER BASED VIOLENCE FACT SHEET mentions four major groups of GBV including emotional and psychological violence which is abuse or humiliation.

This is non-verbal abuse that is insulting, degrading; demeaning, compelling the survivors to engage in humiliating acts; whether in public or private; denying basic expenses for family survival, she says.

Harmful traditional practices include child marriages which are marriage under the age of legal consent that is 18 years and this is most commonly done for girls.

Msoka says that there has been a lot of negative consequences related to child marriage including complicated labour, deaths or disabilities since at that age the girl's reproductive organs are unable to handle marriage responsibilities.

Early marriage increase maternal and infant mortality rates, increase the risk of HIV infection and limit social support to child brides due to social isolation.

"It increases lack of skill hence lack of access to labour market increasing dependency of spouse, increasing likelihood that she will be able spouse in case he is violent, as she is dependent upon him for livelihood," she says.

The Law of Marriage Act, 1971 which is contrary to the SOSPA of 1998 should be amended so that it does not allow girl under 18 to be married at the parent or guardian consent.

According to The Law of Child Act, 2009 and SOSPA, a girl at the age of 14 is regarded as a child.

Another publication titled EARLY MARRIAGE FACT SHEET issued by TAMWA in collaboration with UNFPA says, "Child marriage occurs more frequently among girls who are the least educated, poorest and living in rural areas."

It is said that, 61 per cent of women aged 20 to 24 with no education and 39 per cent with primary education were married or in union at age 18, compared to only 5 per cent of women with secondary education or higher.

According to International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW) in year 2010, Tanzania is among 20 countries leading in child marriage (girls under 18) worldwide holding the twentieth position.

Another area in harmful traditional practices include female genital mutilation (FGM) which comprise all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury inflicted to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

In Tanzania, Network Against Female Genital Mutilation (NAFGEM) shows that Mayara region is leading by 70.8 and Dodoma is 63.8. Other regions leading in FGM with per cents in brackets are, Arusha (58.6), Singida (51), Mara (39), Morogoro (21), Kilimanjaro (21) and Tanga 19 per cent.

Although this is known to be one of the major violation of human right of girls and women, it is nowadays conducted in secrecy to avoid the law. It is said that about 100 to 140 million women and girls around the world have experienced the procedure including about 92 million in Africa.

Suleiman Mtwana, the lecturers at the Institute of Social Work (ISW) in Dar es Salaam once said, "The procedure has no health benefits for girls and women instead, it causes severe bleeding problems of urinating, complication in childbirth as well as cause of fistula..."

The practice is due to some social, economic, political reason as well as myths and superstitions such as FGM being associated with notions of being feminine, modest, clean and beautiful.

To make Tanzania free of GBV, it should be known clearly that wrong beliefs like that FGM makes a girl more acceptable in the community and increases higher eligibility for marriage, should be fought against.

One of the elders in Tarime District, Mara Region once told the 'Daily News on Saturday' that FGM helps to control women's sexuality and ensure virginity until marriage and fidelity in marriage.

There is need to establish human rights centres/ bodies in the district where the community members can report - even the misdeeds of police since sometimes cases are mishandled because of corruption.

Different stakeholders should be involved so that GBV cases are handled properly like the preservation of evidence and the knowledge that priority has to be given to medical examination.

TAMWA says, "Tanzania without GBV is possible if poverty among men and women is seriously fought and bad customs and traditions come to an end. Girls and boys should be equally given opportunities to access education."

Those committed offence should not leave without trial and the parents of survivors should not keep on resolving GBV cases outside the court.

Msoka says, "The most challenge is the community or family member readiness to give cooperation on giving details of real situation for this violence... Community should be encouraged to report GBV cases."

"Tanzanians should get extensive GBV education in schools so that our children are taught enough skills of how to avoid being victims of GBV. Even the parents and the whole community need such information so that they can look after their children as well," added Msoka

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