A call to safeguard children during General Elections
DAR ES SALAAM: THE National Safe School Coalition (NSSC) has issued a joint plea calling for child protection and safeguarding during and after the 2025 General Elections.
Addressing members of the media today in Dar es Salaam, the coalition insists that safety and protection of children must remain a non-negotiable priority throughout the electoral process.
“Children are among the most vulnerable groups during elections, often left unattended while parents and caregivers are preoccupied with election-related activities.
“This period also exposes children to heightened risks stemming from harmful cultural practices, including superstitious beliefs linked to witchcraft.
“Tragically, children with disabilities particularly children with albinism face extreme violence during election seasons.
“Such violence results in unrest, unsafe environments, psychological trauma, pain, and even death for children and their families,” says Mr Mwemezi Makumba, Manager-Research, Innovation and Policy Analysis at HakiElimu.
To Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and NGOs, the coalition has urged them to continue providing voter education and civic literacy programs that integrate child rights protection messaging into all civic education campaigns.
On her part, the Tanzania Media Women’s Association (TAMWA) Children and Youth Affairs Office, Ms. Cleopatra Ngesi, called upon the media to amplify children’s voices in their reporting.
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“Journalists should adhere to their prevailing ethics to protect the rights of children and ensure that their coverage avoids harmful language or messaging that may incite hatred of children and society,” she says.
In the same token, Tanzania Child Rights Forum (TCRF) Program Manager, Mr Rogasian Massue, has urged political parties to lead and prioritize children’s rights and needs in their campaigns.
“We encourage every party as well as candidates to speak about their plans to protect children throughout this period…also, issues of access to quality education, healthcare, protection from violence, and social welfare should be well addressed in their manifestos and post campaigns,” he says.
Similarly, Children’s Dignity Forum (CDF) Program and MEAL Coordinator, Irene Ernest, insists that parents and guardians always ensure the safety and protection of children, especially around polling stations, campaign rallies, and other public gatherings.
“They must remain vigilant and report any incidents of violence, exploitation, or threats against children…across communities, parents and caregivers should make it clear that their votes will go to those candidates who put children first.
“Those who champion the rights, safety, and well-being of children are earning the trust of families who want a better future…this election season, the message should be loud and clear, child protection is not optional but rather a priority,” she says.
Also, Kaya Foundation Director, Ms Pilianna Ngome, seized the platform to urge the government to actively promote and facilitate meaningful child participation through supporting safe and child-friendly spaces.
“Children can share their expectations with candidates through initiatives like ‘Children Letters to Leaders’; hence protecting and amplifying children’s voices during elections is not just a legal obligation, it is a moral imperative for building a more inclusive and rights-respecting democracy,” she noted.
Through the media briefing, NSSC also condemns acts by some political parties to allow children to abandon class sessions and go to attend their political rallies, saying that this is not acceptable as it is depriving children of their right to education.
Meanwhile, NSSC is a network of 20 Civil Society Organisations launched in March 2024, registered and operating in Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar, aiming at advocating for a violence-free society by ending violence and corporal punishment in and through schools, ensuring a safe learning environment for all children.
