About 60 per cent of rape victims in Kilimanjaro Region do not report
to the relevant authorities because they are barred to do so by
traditional taboos, it was observed in Moshi last week.
The chairperson of a non-governmental organisation called Kwieco,
Elizabeth Minde said during the launching of a centre to rehabilitate
people who had been sexually assaulted that many rape victims were not
aware of their rights.
"The traditions of our people here do not allow women to speak
about being sexually assaulted either by their husbands or other
people," she said during an event graced by the Finnish Ambassador to
Tanzania Natila Sinikka.
Minde added that many women and girls, including victims of
gender-based violence (GBV) were not aware of their rights and how to
seek reparations or take the culprits to the courts of law.
She said the traditional customs of the Chagga people living on the
slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro in particular, prohibited women and girls
from discussing sexual matters in public, especially rape cases.
Kwieco, she explained, has started to offer legal aid to the ordinary people in the area so as to enable them know their rights.
According to her, some 1,200 gender-related violence cases were reported in Moshi District alone.
She, however, explained that the cases may be more than the figure because many gender-violence incidents are not reported.
Launching the centre, the Finnish Ambassador said her country had
donated 800 m/- to the Moshi-based NGO to support women and children.
She commended Kwieco for construction of the centre which will be used to rehabilitate sexual assault victims.
Elsewhere, it has been reported that expectant mothers in Hai
District, are risking their lives and their infants because of power
interruptions.
The chief nursing officer at the district hospital, Agness Chami
said recently during the International Nurses Day celebrations that the
problem was more acute during deliveries at night.
The problem of poor lighting system also emerges during the Cesarean procedures.
"There are cases where lights have gone off in the middle of an
operation", the official said, adding that in such circumstances the
victims are rushed to the KCMC Referral Hospital in Moshi.
The district medical officer, Dr Paul Chaote said for the past two
years, the hospital had unsuccessfully requested for funds to buy a
stand-by generator.
Another request has been made for 50m/- to purchase a generator during the coming 2015/2016 financial year.SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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