DAR ES SALAAM: DEPUTY Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups, Mr Amon Mpanju has called on community engagement at all levels to combat GenderBased Violence (GBV) so as to create a society that is free from violence against women and children.
He made the appeal recently during a dialogue organised by the United Nations families under the theme, “Realising the Promise of 2030: Accelerating Action to End Gender-Based Violence”.
The dialogue was part of the commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism Against GenderBased Violence, held in Dar es Salaam. “Community participation at all levels is essential to eradicate acts of violence against women and children.
We may have good policies, laws and action programmes, but without full community involvement, these efforts will fall short,” said Mr Mpanju.
He added: “Accountability from every member of the community is required to ensure we put an end to violence. Fighting GBV calls for inclusivity, involving both men and women, so that everyone in society takes decisive action against genderbased violence”.
Mr Mpanju highlighted that cultural practices fueling GBV remain a challenge, stressing that the government alone cannot eradicate such acts, calling for collective efforts from the entire community to ensure systems to address GBV function effectively.
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“There are cultural traditions in families and ethnic groups that promote violence. Government systems alone cannot tackle this. We need the involvement of the whole community, including religious leaders, traditional leaders, survivors and society at large, for these systems to work efficiently,” he said .
He said that GBV is a barrier to development at all levels, noting that where gender-based violence exists, there can be no progress in families, communities, or the nation.
He underscored the importance of continued advocacy and public education to eliminate oppressive systems that fuel violence.
