Pemba residents unite against GBV
ZANZIBAR: MORE than 3,500 residents from seven shehias in Mkoani District, Pemba, have participated in community dialogues aimed at addressing violence against women and girls, with young people accounting for about 75 per cent of participants.
The local-level discussions brought together men and women to openly examine social attitudes and practices that contribute to GenderBased Violence (GBV) in their communities.
The sessions were facilitated by district community development and social welfare officers, police officers from the Gender and Children’s Desk, paralegals and male champions, with technical and financial support from UN Women and the European Union Delegation.
According to Programme Specialist at UN Women Lucy Tesha the dialogues focused primarily on poverty and deeply rooted gender stereotypes that continue to fuel violence against women and girls.
Participants reflected on harmful beliefs that persist in some communities, including the perception that women belong only in the kitchen and the notion that beating a wife is a form of discipline or a sign of masculinity.
She noted that unequal participation in economic activities was also identified as a major driver of economic violence against women.
“For example, participants pointed out that gender stereotypes within the fishing sector create divisions that limit women’s involvement in large-scale fishing, often confining them to landbased, shallow-water, or subsistence fishing,” she said.
Tesha added that women’s contributions to the fishing value chain, such as net mending, fish processing through smoking and drying and trading are often overlooked or undervalued.
Participants called for stronger efforts to address economic violence, noting that empowering women economically would help improve the socio-economic wellbeing of families and communities.
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Mkoani District Commissioner, Ms Miza Hassan Faki, welcomed the growing openness among residents to discuss and confront gender-based violence.
She said the dialogues demonstrate an increasing willingness within the community to support prevention initiatives and emphasised the need for more awareness sessions and improved access to information about services available to survivors.
The District Commissioner also stressed the importance of educating the public about referral pathways for GBV cases to ensure survivors receive proper support and to prevent misplaced blame on service providers such as the police and Gender and Children’s Desks.
The dialogues form part of ongoing efforts to strengthen community participation in preventing genderbased violence and promoting safer environments for women and girls.
