EU steps up anti-FGM, child marriages fight

BERNARD LUGONGO

THE European Union (EU) yesterday emphasized on translation of national action plan on fighting child marriages and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) to local level for implementation.

EU ambassador to Tanzania, Mr Roeland van de Beer, remarked this in Dar es Salaam during the launch of a project for countering child marriages and FGM in Mara and Geita regions. He said that it was important to empower the communities to understand and be able to act on designed national plans in their areas.

He went on underscoring the effective participation of all parties, including police, lawyers and civil societies, in detecting women and children at risks.

“Legal framework is important but not enough, it also requires involvement of all key parties to play their role,” he stated, adding that the EU is really proud to support the government in fighting violence against women and girls. He said the EU promotes basic human rights, insisting, “We are born out of that necessity.”

Speaking over the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), he commented that it was impossible to achieve Goal number five on gender equality without women empowerment.

The launched three-year programme, to reduce the incidence of harmful practices of Child Marriage and FGM, will be implemented in Mara and Geita regions, targeting children under 15 years old.

The Plan International Tanzania, Children’s Dignity Forum (CDF), NELICO, Molly’s Network and Tanzania Football Federation are the implementing partners.

Project Manager for Plan International, Ms Emma Mashobe, said they arrived at a decision to make intervention on fighting child marriages and FGM after seeing its magnitude in two regions.

Child marriages prevalence in Mara Region stand at 55 per cent while Geita records 35 per cent, according to 2016 Demographic and Health Survey report.

Ms Mashobe noted that through the project, girls will be empowered to understand their rights so that they make informed decisions.

Those affected girls who are now out of schools will also be economically empowered for them to generate income for their livelihood.