Children Protection and Women Empowerment to Violence: A Community based Intervention
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Abstract
Violence against women and children in Tanzania remains seriously issue in human right and public health, where one in three of women experience physical violence and children experience, physical, sexual and neglect. This study used a community-based intervention in Msalala District Council as an operationalization of Tanzania’s National Plan of Action to End Violence Against Women and Children (2024/25-2028/2029). By adopt qualitative method, study organized strategies such as community mobilization, strengthened support system, capacity building, and multi-sectoral coordination using interview with various stakeholders such as women, children, men, community leaders and service providers. Interventions like training protection committees, administering community-based reporting systems, creating safe space and economic empowerment through village savings groups. Findings showed increase of awareness, improved reporting systems and upgraded service coordination. Despite of coordination challenges, resource constrains and cultural resistance the study effective empowered communities as active agent change. Results illustrate, sustainable violence prevention demands, incorporated economic, social and gender-transformative aspects, while responding on power relations and structural barriers underlying violence.
Keywords: Violence against women and children, Gender-based violence, Child protection, Community engagement, Prevention strategies
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