Manyara region opens one-stop centre to fight GBV

Babati. The Manyara region has opened a one-stop center to provide all gender-based violence (GBV)-related services in efforts to address the vice.

The centre will enable victims to obtain legal, health, and psychological services in one place.

GBV cases have been increasing in Tanzania with reports indicating that 40 percent of all women aged 15–49 have experienced physical violence, while 17 percent experienced sexual violence in 2022.

Social welfare officer at the Manyara Regional Referral Hospital, Mr Daudi Donald, said the government has opened the center to simplify access to key services for victims.

"When we receive a person who has been subjected to a form of GBV and they arrive at the One Stop Center, they receive all the necessary services, including medical care, police assistance, and social welfare services," he said

"This means that if someone has been raped or sexually assaulted, the doctor will provide medical treatment, the police will assist them with legal matters, and the social welfare services, which are often neglected, will provide psychological and other social support to help them return to their normal state," he added.

According to him, before the establishment of the one-stop center, services were provided separately. If someone needed a PF3 form, they had to go to the police, and doctors were available elsewhere.

Assistant nursing officer at Manyara Regional Referral Hospital, Ms Eusebia Mirera, said they provide education to the community about GBV and violence against children, and after awareness, a majority of people now seek services.

"In the past, we could go for up to three months without any cases, but now we are receiving both women and children seeking services," she said.

She said they receive people who have undergone sexual violence, physical abuse, and emotional abuse, but sexual violence accounts for 70 percent of cases, including rape and defilement of children, followed by physical abuse and negligence, among others.

Regional commissioner for Manyara, Ms Queen Sendiga, said statistics show that the region leads in GBV incidents, especially sexual violence.

"In a nutshell, the situation is not satisfying," she said.

She elaborated that the strategies in place include holding meetings from the grassroots level to discuss the issues comprehensively. She said they have also held sessions with religious leaders about female genital mutilation (FGM) which she described as a form of violence.

"The One Stop Center will solve the major complaints of the lack of evidence in cases of sexual violence, and strong evidence starts at the scene of the incident, reporting to the police, and doctors receiving those who have been subjected to violence. Thus, it will have all the necessary departments in one place to ensure timely justice," she said.

A resident of Babati, whose name is withheld, said her grandson was defiled and was received at the One Stop Center, where he received all the necessary services.

"Before this, people could lose hope due to the need to travel far for services, resulting in the loss of evidence," she said.

A social welfare officer in the Manyara regional office, Ms Hadija Muwango, said efforts have been made in collaboration with stakeholders and the community to reduce the incidents of violence.

On his part, USAID Afya Yangu northern project senior strategic results manager, Mr Aphaxard Lwitakudi, said their main focus is dealing with HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and all forms of GBV.

"We have established a one-stop center aimed at serving victims of violence under one umbrella, with the aim of reducing service time and ensuring that citizens report these incidents because the center will have a hotline for citizens to easily report and receive services," he said.