Media told to spearhead war against bad traditions

By ALPHA NUHU

THE media were yesterday challenged to spearhead a nationwide public education campaign against all forms of outdated traditions that deny girl children their right to education.

Archaic traditions like female genital mutilation, child marriages and trading girl children as commodities for generating wealth must be fought at all costs, participants attending a one-day roundtable meeting on gender issues among Maasai community, noted.
“Education is a basic component that can empower the public to abandon customs and traditions which have outlived their efficacy in our society,” said a participant, Namayani Laiza, a facilitator from the Arushabased Integrated Multi-Sectoral Services (HIMS), a nongovernmental organisation.
“Public education is of paramount importance if we are to fight old-fashioned customs that oppress women in our society,” she explained. Laiza was one of the participants -- journalists and human rights activists -- who gathered in Dar es Salaam to discuss Gender Issues Among the Maasai Community and the campaign to end the aged-old practice of female circumcision.
The meeting was organised by Internews under its ambitious five-year USAID/ Tanzania Media and Civil Society Strengthening Project.