GBV victims to get psycho-socio remedies, Bunge told

DODOMA: THE government has come up with programmes and strategies to support victims of gender-based violence for psycho-socio remedies.

The programmes are also meant to address the causes of violence as the government is offering various services especially for rape victims, Deputy Minister of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups, Ms Mwanaidi Ali Khamis told the National Assembly on Monday.

She gave the elaboration in response to a question posed by Special Seats legislator Maryiam Azan Mwinyi (CCM), who wanted to know plans in place for the government to support victims of GBV.

The deputy minister said there are a number of programmes and strategies being implemented by the government in support of the victims.

She named the services for the gender-based violence victims include health services, mental health, psyco-socio, meals and accommodation and send back to schools’ students who are victims of rape and other sexual harassment forms.

Recently the government said it is finalising procedures to come up with specific legislation that will address all forms of Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the country.

Currently, GBV in the country is being addressed through numerous laws and policies whereas the legislation whose formulation is at an advanced stage will help to curb all forms of GBV in the society.

The deputy minister said it is the society’s collective responsibility to stop violence, so that the economy can grow effectively.

Change, according to Ms Mwanaidi, begins at home, and everyone should take action to eliminate violence.

“Everyone should be a change agent, rather than waiting for others to do so,” she said.

Recently, Minister of the docket, Dr Dorothy Gwajima said the government has taken several steps to eradicate GBV, including signing agreements at regional and national levels to end all forms of discrimination against women, as well as developing a five-year National Plan of Action to End Violence Against Women and Children (NPAVAWC 2017/18 – 2021/22).

“Another NPAVAWC plan has already been evaluated and the stakeholders have given their opinions and it has been worked on, we are in the final retreat and the women’s and gender development policy has also come out and we hope to launch it in January next year,” Dr Gwajima noted.