TANZANIA: TAMWA forms anti-GBV committees

Written by DAILY NEWS Reporter.

THE Tanzania Media Women Association (TAMWA) has formed Anti-Gender Based Violence Committees, which will report, give legal assistance and educate on GBV.

The committees will also build understanding and awareness in the community in seven districts of Tanzania Mainland and three districts in Zanzibar. A statement issued by TAMWA’s Executive Director Ms Valerie Msoka, showed the committees have been formed in collaboration with other four organizations campaigning for human rights, especially women and Children.

These include the Tanzania Gender Network (Programme), The Tanzania Women Lawyers Association (TAWLA), Zanzibar Women Lawyers Association (ZAFELA) and TAMWA’s Crisis Resolving Centre (CRC).

The statement said that TAMWA, TAWLA, ZAFELA, CRC, and TGNP with the support of the Danish Embassy (DANIDA) have formed the committees as part of the GBV component of the Gender Equality and Women Empowerment (GEWE II) project.

The project is being implemented in the districts of Wete (Pemba North), Unguja Urban West, Unguja South, Kisarawe (Coast), Newala (Mtwara), Lindi Rural (Lindi), Mvomero (Morogoro), Kinondoni and Ilala (Dar es Salaam). Formation of the committees, which took place in February and March, is a result of a baseline survey conducted late last year.

The committees found out that factors that contributed to an increase in GBV included gaps in the reporting systems, minimal understanding of GBV issues as well as a limited capacity of communities in responding to GBV.

“At the village level the committees will be co-ordinated by the Village Executive Officers, while at ward level the committees will be coordinated by the Ward Executive Officers.

“These village and ward executive officers will also be the coordinators of the 12 news gatherers, 12 legal assistants and 12 animators, who will be part of the committees offering information on gender issues in the community”, read the statement.

Source: Daily News (01/04/2013): http://dailynews.co.tz/index.php/local-news/16035-tamwa-forms-anti-gbv-committees