Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE Gender and Children Desk of Nyamagana District in Mwanza Region recently welcomed a delegation from Norway, in collaboration with local partners, KIVULINI Organisation.
The delegation is in the country to learn and observe the implementation of various projects carried out by the organisation.
The delegation included members of the Executive Committee of FO Innlandet and FOKUS, as well as a representative of the Norwegian Embassy in Tanzania, Ms Annette Pettersen. FO Innlandet and FOKUS are among the main financiers of programmes to eliminate gender-based violence implemented by KIVULINI.
Speaking during the visit, head of the delegation, Mr Ole Henrik Krakenes from FO, said they were pleased and impressed by the level of cooperation between the Mwanza Regional Police and KIVULINI, an organisation dedicated to preventing violence against women and children.
After visiting the Nyamagana District Gender and Children Desk, Mr Krakenes said that his organisation had learned a great deal about KIVULINI’s work in collaboration with its partners, noting that there are many similarities between Norway and Tanzania in addressing issues of violence against women and children.
“These matters involve stigma, shame, privacy and societal attitudes. We see the importance of working closely with communities and strengthening collaboration between law enforcement and society,” Mr Krakenes said.
He also praised the excellent work carried out by KIVULINI in partnership with the police, describing this cooperation as a positive model for the well-being of future generations.
“We believe it is essential to support organisations doing the right work to raise awareness and understanding of the impact of domestic violence and violence against women and children,” he added.
Meanwhile, Ms Mildrid Mikkelsen said they had come to Tanzania to learn more about the collaboration between KIVULINI and various stakeholders, including the police, in preventing and responding to violence against women and children.
“I am very pleased with what I have learned today, particularly the importance of building capacity and partnerships that enable more women to report incidents of violence to the police,” she said.
She added that they were impressed by the way the police follow up on cases attentively, taking into account the circumstances and needs of the victims.
Speaking on behalf of Mwanza Regional Police Commissioner, Nyamagana District Police Commander, SSP Virginia Sodoka, said that over the past three years, the Mwanza Regional Police, in collaboration with communities and civil society organisations, including KIVULINI, had succeeded in reducing cases of genderbased violence by 23 per cent.
She explained that these achievements were the result of joint efforts, including strengthening the Gender and Children Desk, providing community education, improving reporting systems for victims and involving local government leaders.
“I commend KIVULINI for continuing to work with the Gender and Children Desk, combining efforts to address gender-based violence professionally, compassionately and with full respect for victims’ rights,” SSP Sodoka said.
For his part, KIVULINI’s Executive Director, Yassin Ally, presented a report on the organisation’s activities in the Mwanza region, highlighting ongoing efforts to prevent and combat gender-base.
