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Nurses, NGO`s to educate public on gender based violence
2007-06-12 09:36:59
By Jane Mkonya
The Tanzania Nurses Association (TANNA) at the Muhimbili Orthopedic Institute (MOI).
In collaboration with Non Governmental Organisations are planning to educate the public on the need to bring to an end gender based violence through counseling abused victims and conducting research.
Speaking during a fundraising dinner held in Dar es Salaam last Friday, the MOI Nursing Director Flora Kimaro said that they had reached the decision following unending cases of critically abused women and children they deal with.
``Nursing means providing quality service to all patients without segregation. We have been dealing with a number of female based violent acts in our field. We normally attend 2 to 5 women beaten by their partners.
At times we treat cases whereby some of our colleagues are severely mistreated by their partners,`` said Kimaro.
She said nurses at the MOI Institute were so concerned with the problem that they have decided to find a solution to either minimize or eradicate the vice once and for all.
Kimaro noted that most abused women lied whenever admitted at the hospital. ``At times we attend to women with fracture due to abuse but whenever asked to state the cause, they lie that the injury was caused by falling down accidentally,`` she lamented.
She said most of them revealed the truth once asked in private, attributing the habit of most women lying to the fear of their husbands divorcing them.
``Most women are afraid of being single parents due to poverty and that is why they don’t report to the police,`` said Kimaro.
``I am sure you will agree with me that children are nothing without their mothers.
It is no wonder women tolerate the abuses, beatings and harassment from in-laws after the husband’s death for the sake of children.
``We as nurses have asked ourselves as to `until when shall we endure this situation`?`` queried Kimaro.
Commenting on the issue, the Acting Director of Social Development, Gender and Children Constansia Gabusa, on behalf of Deputy Minister Salome Mbatia, said the government is in its last step to implement the family development policy.
According to Gabusa, the policy will emphasize accountability and harmony in families.
Gabusa said the vice was a contributing factor in the spread of HIV/Aids infection due to male dominance making women powerless over their bodies.
``Gender based violence acts are increasing by the day despite the government`s laws to fight the vice. The government has prepared a national plan to eradicate violence against women and children,`` she noted.
Tanzania Gender Networking Programme member and Gender Trainer Fides Kwangu demanded the government to review proposals by gender activists on the age of marriage for women from the present 15 years (for girls) to 18 years for both women and men.
This is an adult age according to the constitution of the republic of Tanzania. She said Sexual Offence Special Provision Act (SOSPA) did not include the marital rape.
There are data showing the increase of HIV/Aids cases among married persons.
This has been attributed by the patriarchy culture and religion which encourages women and girls to remain in oppressive marital relationship.
She said one of the priorities in the sexual act review should be marital rape and called for more resources to facilitate the speeding up of cases.
``SOSPA should be reviewed to include the gender based violation cases as well as declaring FGM a criminal offence to all women regardless of their age,`` she insisted.
TANNA is planning to raise 50m/- for the cause. The fundraising dinner fetched approximately 2.5m/- .
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