Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE Office of the Chief Government Statistician Zanzibar (OCGSZ) has released monthly statistics on Gender Based Violence (GBV) and abuse of children which show an increase of the cases in July compared to June this year.
Ms Ramla Hassan Pandu from OCGSZ said her office recorded 108 incidents of abuse against women and children in July which is higher compared to 97 cases recorded in June this year.
She said the increase in number of cases is attributed to the increasing public awareness on the importance of reporting the incidents to relevant authorities.
Ms Pandu said that the ‘West District ‘A’ on Unguja Island leads with 29 incidents followed by the West ‘B’ District with 23, as she called on members of the public to join forces with the government to expose perpetrators so they are taken to Court.
“It is sad that despite ongoing campaign to stop GBV and child abuse, incidents are still being recorded.
This is unacceptable and war should conNasima Haji Chum- Director, Gender and Children in the Ministry of Health, Social Welfare, Elders, Gender and Children, She said that children and women should also be trained on how to protect themselves, as the government strengthens the campaign by taking different measures that will helpstop the social menace in the isles.
Mr Khamis Othman, a lawyer from the Director of Public Prosecutor (DPP) office, said the use of drugs among young is to blame for the increasing incidents of Women and children abuse as most of the perpetrators are illicit drug addicts.
