Step up fight against GBV-Isles
ZANZIBAR: THE Isles Ministry of Community Development, Elderly, Gender and Children has reiterated the need for continued collective efforts to combat Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Zanzibar.
Speaking during the release of the latest monthly GBV statistics, the Director of Gender and Children at the ministry, Ms Siti Abasi Ali said that while the government has introduced multiple strategies to arrest and prosecute perpetrators, the fight requires joint involvement from all members of society.
“The government has mechanisms to deal with violators, but this is a shared responsibility. Everyone must take part in ending abuse,” she said during a media briefing held at the Office of the Chief Government Statistician (OCGS) in Mazizini.
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She added that schools across Unguja and Pemba have been encouraged to form clubs that provide students with knowledge and tools to protect themselves against abuse, contributing to wider awareness through peer education.
According to Ms Asha Mahfoudh from the Gender and Employment Statistics Division at OCGS, Zanzibar recorded a slight decrease in GBV incidents in June 2025, with 97 cases reported, down from 107 in May, which is 9.3 per cent, a slight decline.
However, she noted an increase in incidents involving sexual harassment, indecent assault, pregnancy-related offences and adultery. Of the 97 victims in June, 85.6 per cent were children, 12.4 per cent women and 2.1 per cent men.
Year-on-year data shows a 44.3 per cent reduction in cases compared to June 2024, which had recorded 174 incidents. The most affected districts were West A with 23 cases (23.7 per cent), followed by West B with 18 cases (18.6 per cent).
The Southern District reported just one case (1 per cent). Asha added that 82 of the 97 cases reported are still under police investigation, while 11 have been charged in court.
Two cases have reached the Director of Public Prosecutions and two are already in court. Seventeen GBV cases are currently being heard, with 30 suspects held in remand facilities between April and June 2025.
