TANZANIA: Kairuki updates promise to overhaul discriminatory laws

  BY CORRESPONDENT.

The government has reaffirmed its commitment to overhaul discriminatory laws in a broader quest to relieve the most vulnerable social groups--women and girls--from untold discrimination, abuses and other forms of violence.

The latest promise by government authorities comes as incidents of gender-based discrimination, social inequality and violence against women and girls were increasing at an alarming rate in different parts of Tanzania.

“It’s not possible to get rid of violence against women if we continue to use old-fashioned and discriminatory laws,” said the Deputy Minister for Constitution and Legal Affairs, Angela Kairuki, as she officially opened a gender symposium organized as part of activities to mark the International Women’s Day.

The deputy minister said the government was ready to make extensive review of discriminatory laws in the context of national initiatives to protect the rights of women, girls and other disadvantaged groups in the country.

For many years, the Marriage Act of 1971, the Customary Inheritance Act-1963 and several other laws have been seen as problematic legislations which fuel discrimination and violence against women and girls in Tanzania.

A long-term national crusade (against the respective laws) championed by human rights defenders have not yet borne anticipated results, as violence against women and girls escalates, she stated.

Recent statistics based on studies conducted in 2010 show that 35 per cent of women and girls in Tanzania have experienced violence or abuse at the age of 15 years, and perpetrators of these acts are men.

The same studies indicate that 33 per cent of women were beaten by men, out of whom 40 per cent were married women and 21 per cent unmarried.

In her remarks, the deputy minister said the government was aware of the suffering endured by women and girls, and had taken bold steps to ratify a number of international and regional conventions on the protection of people’s rights, including women and girls.

“The plight of women is known by the government….we have made some initiatives to adopt international human rights conventions, and domesticate some of the instruments…however, we are still stepping up other interventions aimed at protecting women and girls from violence and other forms of discrimination,” she further stated.

Besides ratifying international human rights instruments, government plans are at an advanced stage to overhaul discriminatory laws, including the Marriage Act of 1971 and the Customary Inheritance Act. 

“Extensive review of these laws is unavoidable to enhance gender equality and protect the rights of women and girls in our society. We in the government are committed to scrap legislations which discriminate women and come up with gender-sensitive laws,” she told the audience.

Speaking at the symposium, Special Seats MP Zainabu Kawawa (CCM) tasked the government to fast-track review of laws discriminating women, to curb escalating violence against the more vulnerable members of society.

Nicholas Mgaya, the Secretary General of the Trade Union Congress of Tanzania (Tucta), which organized the gender symposium, blasted the government for perpetuating disregard for the rights of workers, especially teachers, by not paying dues/salaries on time and failing to improve their working environment. 

“Teachers are blamed for massive failures of four form students…but it’s not their fault. It’s the government that should bear the blame,” the trade union chief underlined.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN (09/03/2013): http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php?l=52101