Africa-Press – Tanzania. MINISTER for Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups, Dr Dorothy Gwajima, has called upon citizens in regions with high number of cases of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) to get rid of bad cultural practices.
The minister’s call comes ahead of marking of International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation.
This is the United Nations (UN)-sponsored annual awareness day that takes place on February 6 as part of the UN’s efforts to eradicate female genital mutilation.
“I call upon citizens in high numbers of FGM cases to get rid of such acts since they have been proven to have serious effects to women,” Dr Gwajima said.
Tanzania joins the rest of the world to commemorate the day that will be marked in each region with high numbers of FGM cases including Manyara, Dodoma, Arusha, Mara and Singida, the minister said.
The ministry in collaboration with other stakeholders has planned to commemorate the day in Mara region.She said the FGM has serious effects on women and children, including psychological effects such as distress, because it is done without consent from a particular child or woman.
Health effects of FGM include getting serious pains, much bleeding, complications during delivery that may result in death and may as well lead to spread of HVI/AIDS.
In efforts to eliminate violence against women and children, the government in collaboration with its stakeholders has managed to introduce 18,618 committees for children and women protection in regions, districts, wards up to the village level.
The government has also established nine safe homes for victims, who escaped the FGM. It has also been creating awareness among members of the public against the acts of FGM and their effects.
The government has also reviewed and improved various laws aimed at strengthening security for women and children.
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