Ananilea Nkya

The Tanzania Media Women's Association (Tamwa) has proposed passage of by-laws at village and district levels which will protect women from various forms of gender-based violence, including wife battery.

The proposal was made by the association’s executive director, Ananilea Nkya, at the launch of a survey report conducted by Tamwa in collaboration with media houses in twenty districts of Tanzania mainland last April.

The report shows that beating is still a major problem in almost all the districts in Tanzania.

She said such cruelty acts are due to lack of by-laws at village and district levels whereas most of the beaten women end up being affected physiologically, adding that beatings also contributes highly on maternal mortality.

Nkya said village leaders should educate households on the impacts of women whipping because most of the victims fails to engage in development and other income-generating activities.

She however called on Members of Parliament and Councillors to frequently talk on gender based violence issues during rallies. She said the move would help to reduce the problem.

According to the survey, the problem was reported in all the districts, but it was rampant in the districts of Iramba (Singida), Karatu (Arusha), Simanjiro (Manyara) and Temeke in Dar es Salaam.

Karatu ward executive officer Paulo Lagwen said the problem was rampant but very few women had the courage to report the matter to the police. He said the women were afraid of reporting such acts due to fears of being punished by their husbands.

Meanwhile, district executive have been called upon to keep statistics of gender based violence so as to fasten development in their respective areas.

Most of the journalists who participated in the survey complained to have experienced difficulties to access statistics on GBV, the thing that hinders efforts towards elimatinating the problem.

Some of the district where executives were rigid and uncooperative to the journalists are Tarime in Mara region, Kilolo in Iringa, Kondoa in Dodoma and Temeke in Dar es Salaam.