Call: Joint action needed to eradicate gender-based violence

Dar es Salaam. The Dodoma Regional Commissioner, Ms Rosemary Senyamule, has stated that the delay in many gender-based violence cases in the region is partly due to some women themselves defending the accused.

She made the remarks on August 28, 2024, noting that women are often influential in preventing authorities from arresting suspects who have committed violence.

"This behaviour has been one of the major obstacles that hinder our efforts to deal with incidents of violence, with 60 per cent of domestic and gender-related violence originating from households. We need to build morals in our homes, advocate against GBV, and warn people," she said.

Ms Senyamule made the remarks at the seventh district-level gender festival, which aims to discuss the milestones of the Inclusive Development Vision 2025 and the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Conference.

She emphasised that the issue of ethics is not solely the teacher's responsibility; parents are also required to address it from home.

In light of this, the leader instructed all councils in the region to continue providing awareness on abuse and how to address it, as well as to encourage citizens to contribute to the National Development Vision for 2050.

She further urged the councils to conduct campaigns to inform the people of Kondoa about the available government opportunities, warning that failing to do so would deny citizens access to these opportunities.

Tanzania’s Gender Networking Programme (TGNP), director Lilian Liundi, will join the Beijing Platform for Action by collaborating with organisations advocating for women's rights and gender equality in the country.

She also mentioned that they will continue to strengthen their
efforts to encourage and promote women to seek leadership positions to empower themselves and overcome discrimination.

The decision to organise an event in Kondoa is due to statistics that show that the district still faces many challenges related to
gender-based violence.

She said: "We understand that teenage pregnancies are a significant issue in Kondoa, but it requires substantial effort from both the community and the government,” she said.

A Gender, Arts, and Development consultant, Ms Agness Lukanga, stressed that 30 years since the Beijing Conference, there has been increased awareness about gender issues. Although incidents of gender-based violence have risen, the rate of reporting these incidents has also
increased.
This was due to the existing awareness and voices being raised.
Various measures are being taken, and the government has even
developed its first strategy to combat and prevent violence.