Government calls for action against rising violence as women mark International Women’s Day

Arusha. The government has urged women across the country to use this year’s International Women’s Day celebrations to reflect on the alarming rise in violence and its impact on society, calling for concrete solutions to safeguard the nation’s future.

The call was made by the Minister of Defence and National Service, Dr Stergomena Tax, during a women’s conference in Arusha ahead of the main national celebrations set for Saturday, 8 March 2025.

Dr Tax spoke of the increasing cases of violence, particularly sexual violence, rape and sodomy, which have left deep scars on women and children across the country.

“This situation poses a threat to the future security of Tanzania,” she warned.

Citing the latest World Bank report, Dr Tax revealed that more than 40 percent of Tanzanian women aged 15 to 45 have experienced physical violence, while 17 percent have suffered sexual violence. The data also indicates that approximately 30 percent of girls encounter sexual violence before the age of 18.

“This is a dangerous situation, my dear colleagues, and unfortunately, this issue has also affected our male children. Therefore, as we commemorate this day, let us use this conference to find solutions that will ensure our nation remains safe for future generations,” she urged.

Referring to the 1995 Beijing Conference resolutions and United Nations declarations, Dr Tax called on women who have benefitted from advocacy for gender equality to make the most of their opportunities.

“As we celebrate this day, let us continue to build strong foundations that recognise the role of women in claiming and defending basic rights, with the goal of promoting gender equality in society,” she said.

Dr Tax noted that Tanzania has made significant strides in empowering women and girls, with increased participation in economic, social, education, health, leadership, and decision-making processes.

“In these efforts, I strongly urge women to seize the opportunities given to them, as our President, the first female head of state, has exemplified. She works tirelessly and honours her position. Similarly, we must work hard to dismantle outdated beliefs that a woman cannot succeed simply because of her gender,” she said.

Earlier, Deputy Minister of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups, Mwanaidi Ali Khamis, underscored the importance of Women’s Day celebrations in assessing progress, challenges, and opportunities while formulating strategies for further advancement.

She encouraged women to actively pursue leadership roles and participate in elections rather than relying on special seats.

“This election year, let us agree that there will be no more inferiority among women. Let us come out in large numbers, contest parliamentary and local council positions, and support fellow female candidates. We should not wait for men to run for office while we only vie for special seats,” she urged.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Tengeru Institute of Community Development (TICD), Dr Bakari George, said the conference, which brought together over 1,000 women from various sectors, was aimed at gathering insights to address key societal issues.

“This will contribute to the development of publications that will be shared with the wider community for further guidance,” he stated.