Community leaders in Karonga district have been commended for their efforts in combating gender-based violence (GBV).
The leaders have been instrumental in reporting GBV cases to relevant authorities, helping to curb early marriages and child trafficking.
Vincent Bwinga, GBV project officer for the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) of Karonga Diocese, praised the community leaders during a monitoring visit to Chikutu in Traditional Authority Kilupula.
“The collaboration with the community to end GBV in this area has been quite good. Our plea to the community leaders is that they should put in place permanent and reliable reporting mechanisms as a means of sustaining the project once we phase out if we are to create a GBV free society,” Bwinga said.
Joseph Gondwe, coordinator for the Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) and DanChurch Aid (DCA), also commended the community for their vigilant fight against GBV.
“The figures of children withdrawn from early marriages and child labour in Tanzania have really impressed us so much that there is good working relationship amongst stakeholders such as the community leaders, CCJP, the police and the Council.
” Above all, we are impressed with initiatives and efforts the community are putting in place to curb the vice. However, our plea is that the community will build on that to sustain the project’s objectives to end GBV, child marriages and child trafficking,” Gondwe said.
Rachel Mwalughali, one of the mobile court sessions beneficiaries, credited the project with teaching the community how to deal with GBV cases.
“Timazge Nkhaza project has taught us a number of ways on how to deal with GBV cases such as following proper reporting channels, dragging to court irresponsible fathers for child maintenance as well as taming cultural practices that lead to early marriages,” Mwalughali said.
According to the project’s statistics, from September last year to October this year, there were:11 GBV cases,11 cases of child trafficking, with 8 rescued from Tanzania and 5 rescued from child marriages.
The Timazge Nkhaza project, funded by NCA/DCA, is being implemented by CCJP in three traditional authorities in Karonga district.
