REMARKS
ALBERIC KACOU, RESIDENT COORDINATOR - UNITED NATIONS
STRENGTHENING POLICE RESPONSE TO GENDER BASED VIOLENCE AND CHILD
ABUSE:
LAUNCH OF THE 3 YEAR ACTION PLAN FOR GENDER AND CHILDREN’S DESKS
2013-2016
26 NOVEMBER 2013
Hon. Minister of Home Affairs - Dr. Emmanuel
Nchimbi,
Inspector General of Police – Said Mwema
Distinguished members of the Government
Men and women of the Tanzania Police Force
Representatives of Development Partners and Civil
Society Representatives
Members of the Community UN Colleagues
Members of the Media
Ladies and Gentlemen
On behalf of the United Nations, I would like to
congratulate the Government of Tanzania through the Minister, Inspector General
of Police and the Tanzania Police Force on the launch of the Action Plan for
Gender and Children’s Desks. This represents a significant step forward in
ensuring an effective response for women and children who have suffered abuse
and violence.
I would first like to read the UN Secretary General
Mr. Ban Ki Moon’s Message on the International Day to End Violence Against
Women, which is commemorated worldwide
every 25 November.
“Violence against women and girls
directly affects individuals while harming our common humanity. In response to
this global challenge, I launched my UNiTE to End Violence against Women
campaign in 2008. Since then, partners around the world have joined our drive
to protect the human rights of women and girls to live free from violence.
I welcome the chorus of voices
calling for an end to the violence that affects an estimated one in three women
in her lifetime. I applaud leaders who are helping to enact and enforce laws
and change mindsets. And I pay tribute to all those heroes around the world who
help victims to heal and to become agents of change...” For 16 days, from
November 25th until December 10th – Human Rights Day – we
make a special effort to organize and combat violence against women, an
egregious human rights violation. This is an opportunity for all people to
recommit to preventing and halting all forms of violence against women and
girls.”
End of Quote
The prevalence of Gender
Based Violence (GBV) in Tanzania is very high. In the 2010 Tanzania Demographic
and Health Survey approximately 45% of 15-49 year old females reported having
experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. The Violence Against
Children Survey, launched by the Ministry of Community Development, Gender and
Children in 2011, highlighted the specific vulnerability of children to
physical and sexual violence in Tanzania – nearly 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 7 boys
experience sexual violence and over 70% of both girls and boys experience
physical violence before the age of 18 years.
However, most survivors never tell anyone about
their experience and relatively few cases are reported to the Police. As a
result, women, men and children are not able to receive the support that they
need to recover and perpetrators remain free to continue committing these crimes.
To encourage survivors and victims to Speak Out, every Police Station needs
to be a place where they feel safe, comfortable and supported. Survivors and victims must be able to trust that
the police and the justice system will handle their cases effectively.
Gender and Children’s Desks are at the heart of
the Police’s efforts to strengthen its response to survivors and victims of
abuse and violence, ensuring that regardless of where the crime occurs –
whether it be in the home, in communities, at school, at places of work, on the
street, in refugee camps – an appropriate response can be provided.
The UN commends the Police for its commitment to
ensure that there are fully equipped Desks, staffed by specially trained
officers, in every police station across the country.
The UN is a proud supporter of the Police in
realising their vision.
Together, UNFPA, UNWomen and UNICEF have taken an
active role in the Police Partner Coordination Group on Gender Based Violence
and Child Abuse, for which UNICEF is the secretariat, and, in particular, have supported
the Police:
-
To develop the regulatory
framework for the Desks – both the Guidelines on the Establishment of the
Gender and Children’s Desks and the Standard Operating
Procedures on Prevention and Response to Gender Based Violence and Child Abuse;
-
To create survivor/victim
friendly environments in 5 Police Stations;
-
To develop an in-service
training package for Gender and Children’s Desk Officers that has already been
used to train over 1000 police officers; and
-
To coordinate effectively
with other key actors such as Social Welfare Officers, Health Workers and
Judiciary to ensure comprehensive support to the survivors and victims.
However, the 2012 UN sponsored mapping of the
performance of the Gender and Children’s Desks highlighted that while
significant progress has been made in establishing Desks, efforts need to be
enhanced to ensure that every Desk is able to provide the best possible
response for survivors and victims.
The Three Year Action Plan sets out concrete
steps for how the Police will achieve this. The UN commits to continue to work
with the Police to implement the Plan. And noting the wide participation of
development partners and civil society here today, I see we are not alone in
this commitment to the Police and to survivors and victims.
Gender Based Violence and violence against
children is unacceptable. It is a violation of human rights. We all have a
responsibility to take steps to eliminate it. We must also acknowledge that
gender based violence and violence against children is often perpetrated by men
and therefore we need to engage men as allies in the fight to prevent violence.
Police Gender and Children’s Desks help to ensure
that women, men and children can Speak
Out, get the help they need and secure justice.
Minister, I congratulate you, the Inspector
General of Police, the Tanzania Police Force and the Gender and Children’s
Desks on the launch of the Three Year Action Plan and I commend your unwavering
commitment to combatting violence and abuse.
Funguka! Tumia
Dawati la Jinsia na Watoto Kuzuia na Kutokomeza Ukatili wa Kijinsia.
Speak Out! Use
Gender and Children’s Desks to Prevent and Eliminate Gender Based Violence.
Asanteni sana.
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