Minister touts safe houses for GBV victims

HILDA MHAGAMA

THE Minister for Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Ms Ummy Mwalimu, has expressed need for the government to create safe houses meant to accommodate gender-based violence (GBV) victims.

Mwalimu made the remarks during a panel discussion exploring the relationship between GBV in Tanzania and women’s economic empowerment and leadership held in Dar es Salaam, yesterday.

The minister said such safe houses would give refuge to victims who will otherwise have no choice but to return to their abusers, adding that to start with, they can be established in zones.

“This will not only prevent unnecessary loss of life, but will also ensure that more victims have the courage to come forward and report their abusers, knowing that they will not end up having to return home to face the same abusers,” she said.

She added, “A good safe house should also provide economic or vocational empowerment to equip victims with necessary skills to lead independent lives, thus special funds to support the houses should be established.” The discussion was jointly organised by TGNP Mtandao and the Swedish Embassy as part of preparations for Women’s Day celebrations week.

Mwalimu further said that the cost of violence against women and girls in 2013 could be as high as 11.2 per cent of the global economy, with intimate partner violence accounting for 5.2 per cent of the total figure.

She went on to say that there was growing global consensus that violence against women and girls was a huge obstacle to overall sustainable economic development and growth. Globally, the economic impact and cost of physical, emotional and sexual violence against children is estimated to be as high as 8 per cent of global GDP.

The global theme for Women’s Day celebrations this year is, ‘Be Bold for Change,’ while the national theme will be, ‘Industrialised Tanzania: Women are the foundation of economic change.’ Earlier, TGNP Mtandao Executive Director, Ms Lilian Liundi, said that Tanzania will not achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) without involving women in every development aspect.

“This day is very important to all women as we can reflect the position and involvement of women in various activities in the country and globe at large,” she said.

The Swedish Ambassador to Tanzania, Ms Katarina Rangnitt, said promoting women empowerment was increasingly seen as an important driving force behind economic growth and the fight against poverty.

Ms Rangnitt said women’s economic participation as entrepreneurs, employees and leaders was recognised as a measure of a country’s economic viability and dynamism.