Source: allAfrica
Bukoba — RESIDENTS in Kagera Region have been urged to make use of the Police Gender Unit and report incidents of gender based violence.

This follows reports that a big number of women and children were victims of brutal beatings and maiming. The Kagera Regional Police Commander (RPC), George Mayunga, made the appeal during a press briefing at his office.

He urged residents in Kagera Region including males, to report Gender Based Violence (GBV) to nearest police stations for necessary action. Observers say that even men experience gender- based violence in their homes or elsewhere.

Such men have been encouraged to come out and speak publicly about their predicament so that necessary steps can be taken to protect them. Gender and Human Rights Activist Mrs Gema Akilimali said recently that traditionally men have been perceived as the perpetrators of GBV.

However, the tide seems to be turning as a growing number of them are now becoming victims in the hands of their spouses. Mr Mayunga noted that over 600 cases related to the crime were recorded in Kagera Region between January to November, last year.

He said during same period, 306 cases of rape, 12 cases of sodomy and 135 cases related to cruelty to women were also recorded. According to RPC Mayunga, 135 students who were attending school last year dropped out due to various reasons including early pregnancies.

He also appealed to reporters to cooperate by reporting gender-based violence because not much has been reported. He cautioned people to avoid taking the law into their own hands. Instead they should report suspects to nearby police stations, for necessary action.

The residents should collectively fight against outdated laws, customs and practices that conspire to keep millions of women in society's 'backyard' and impinge on most of their constitutionally guaranteed rights while they also contend with various forms of discrimination.

"We must come together to find an agreed consensus which will bring us closer to keeping women and girls safe and free from violence or threats of violence," he said.

He urged the residents to give equal chances to girls by taking them to school and to ensure they do not get pregnant and drop out. "If God gives her life a girl could live up to 70 years or above and benefit the whole nation," he said.

He challenged them to emulate Professor Anna Tibaijuka, the Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlements, Dr Asha-Rose Migiro, the former UN Assistant Secretary General and Speaker Anne Makinda, just to mention a few successful women.

"Gender based violence, remains a major health and human rights concern and no human development can be achieved as long as women and girls continue to suffer from violence or live in fear of it," he said.

Explaining the magnitude of the problem, Mr Mayunga said millions of women and girls are subject to all forms of violence including; rape, intimate partner violence, female genital mutilation, child marriage and sexual violence, adding that all these forms of abuses leave the victims in a prolonged psychological pain.

A national survey conducted in 2010 revealed that 45 per cent of women aged between 15 -49 years had reported GBV, while other seven per cent had reported sexual violence.

Data for Kagera Region, on the other hand, revealed that 49.4 per cent of women and girls aged 15 years old had reported GBV while 29.2 per cent had been sexually exploited. Women in Kagera Region who suffered gender based violence (GBV) for quite a long time can now sigh after an NGO known as Mama' Hope Organization for Legal Assistance (MHOLA), has taken the burden to help them.

MHOLA 's Legal Manager, Ms Theresia Bujiku, told the 'Daily News' in an interview that Gender based violence (GBV) and Violence against children (VAC) are among cross-cutting issues which should be addressed collectively. "Many women were killed or maimed each year while neglected children ended in streets as beggars," she said.

Since its inception in 2006 Mhola has provided legal assistance to women and children in solving various issues including marriage conflicts, inheritance, child care and paying legal fees for criminal cases for those who could not afford it.

According to Ms Bujiku, cases being registered by Mhola have been increasing each year. During 2007 Mhola registered a total of 72 cases, in 2008 the cases increased to 215, in 2009 a total of 243 cases were registered.

During 2010 the number of cases increased to 287, in 2011 the cases flared to 363 while in 2012 a total of 736 cases were registered.

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