Preventing violence against women and children – improving access to justice

Access to justice for women and children // Society in Action for Equality (SAFE)

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  • Commissioning Party

    German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)

  • Country
  • Lead executing agency

    More

  • Overall term

    2022 to 2025

  • Products and expertise

    Government and democracy

Two students from the Law School of Tanzania hold up a poster for ‘16 Days of Activism’. Copyright: GIZ Tanzania

Context

The incidence of sexual and gender-based violence in Tanzania is significantly higher than the regional average. It most frequently manifests itself in the form of sexual and violent assault (often perpetrated by current or former partners), psychological abuse and harmful traditional practices. Along with women and girls, it also affects boys, particularly at school and in family settings.

Meanwhile, members of vulnerable population groups are especially likely to lack awareness of their rights and when they have been violated. At the same time, an effort needs to be made to build specific expertise in law enforcement – particularly in establishing a victim- and survivor-centred approach – and to expand access to justice and legal advice, as well as to improve the support provided to survivors of violence in cases involving court proceedings. Tanzania's medical care providers, social and mental health services and law enforcement authorities are also not sufficiently networked to offer victims the best possible assistance. Furthermore, the social discourse on these topics and the importance of renouncing gender-based violence have not yet entered the broader public consciousness.

Objective

The conditions for women and children to access justice, especially in cases involving sexual and gender-based violence, are improved.

Two women act out a play on gender-based violence. Copyright: GIZ Tanzania

Approach

The project is working in three areas:

  • It is helping Tanzania’s Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs to identify legal, institutional and social factors that make it difficult for women and children affected by violence to access justice. It is also developing recommendations on related reforms.
  • The project is also promoting services offered by government entities (including the police) and non-governmental actors such as legal aid units in order to assist victims of gender-based violence.
  • In addition, the project is promoting a country-wide campaign to reduce gender-based violence together with various partners. It is using creative formats such as film and theatre to encourage debates on these subjects, make people aware of their rights and violations of those rights, and increase the uptake of services for victims of violence.
Students from the Law School of Tanzania hold up another ‘16 Days of Activism’ poster. Copyright: GIZ Tanzania

Last update: March 2023