The cooperation of society, religious leaders, various organizations, and law enforcement agencies was noted as one of the key factors in preventing gender-based violence that affects the safety, rights, and well-being of women, children, and other vulnerable groups.
Speaking at a conference on combating gender-based violence held in the NSSF hall in the Kigoma region, Marypriska Mahoundi, Deputy Minister of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Populations, said that work in this area requires the interaction of government, religious and traditional leaders, various institutions and citizens. She stressed the importance of protecting the rights and safety of victims, and also called for cases of violence to be reported to the appropriate authorities for consideration in due course.
According to the Deputy Minister, the government will continue to educate the public about the consequences of gender-based violence and strengthen victim assistance services. She also called on parents and guardians to pay attention to the upbringing of children, and religious and traditional leaders to use their opportunities to inform society and discuss issues related to domestic and community violence. The Government intends to continue monitoring such cases and ensure that legislation is applied in the prescribed cases.
For his part, the head of Kigoma County, Dr. Rashid Chuachua, noted that gender-based violence remains a serious problem in the county due to the continued increase in the number of reported cases involving women and children. He stressed that religious leaders, the gender police department and social workers make a significant contribution to educating society and helping victims defend their rights.
