BY FRESHA KINASA
DECEMBER 10th, 2021 Hope for Girls and Women in Tanzania has successfully screened the film "In the Name of Your Daughter".
In The Name Of Your Daughter is the heartbreaking and heartwarming fly-on-the-wall story of the most courageous girls in the World, children in Northern Tanzania who are risking their lives to defy their destiny and follow their dreams.
These girls, some as young as eight, are running away from home, leaving everything and everyone they love behind to save themselves from female genital mutilation and avoid being sold off into a child marriage.
And it’s the story of one of Africa’s most charismatic women, Rhobi Samwelly, a brave local hero who confronts her community and protects the girls in her Safe House.
At the culmination of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence for more than 150 Gender Desk Police Officers from Zanzibar and Tanzania Mailand gathered in Mwanza.
They have learned a lot in the film on how to deal with sex offenders and how it has provided an opportunity for girls to raise their voices through the film to explain the effects of FGM and sexual violence.
They commended the good work done by Hope for Girls and Women in Tanzania including providing protection to victims of violence through the Safe Housing Centers under organization , educating the public on the effects of Gender-Based Violence and educating girls.
They commended the various organizations that enable Hope for Girls and Women in Tanzania to support the fight against violence in various areas and called on the organizations to do more to support the organization so that one day FGM, child marriage can end.
In May 2009, the Tanzania Police Force inaugurated a project to establish specialized gender desks in police stations throughout the country, with a police woman to deal with issues of violence against women.
Why HGWT?
Hope for Girls and Women was founded by the Tanzanian activist Rhobi Samwelly in 2017. Rhobi’s personal experience of being forced to undergo female genital mutilation (FGM) as a child inspired her lifelong commitment to fight for the rights of girls and women.
The Director of Hope for Girls and Women in Tanzania, Rhobi Samwelly told the Gender and Children's Desk Police officers that, he congratulated the filmmaker Giselle Portenier from Canada as part of his contribution to ending FGM and sexual abuse.
Rhobi Samwelly, She has won numerous awards for her work in the fight against sexual violence and also through her contribution to facilitating the production of the film has greatly helped parents to hear the cries of girls.
Together we can end domestic violence and sexual assault
On the eve of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (25 November), a new report released by UN Women highlights the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women’s safety at home and in public spaces.
The report shows that women’s feelings of safety have been eroded, leading to significant negative impacts on their mental and emotional well-being.
The report comes as the world kicks off the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence, from 25 November to 10 December, under the global theme set by the UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE campaign, “Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now!”
“Violence against women is an existing global crisis that thrives on other crises. Conflict, climate-related natural disasters, food insecurity and human rights violations all contribute to women and girls living with a sense of danger, even in their own homes, neighbourhoods, or communities.
"The COVID-19 pandemic, which necessitated isolation and social distancing, enabled a second, shadow pandemic of violence against women and girls, where they often found themselves in lockdown with their abusers. Our new data underlines the urgency of concerted efforts to end this,” said UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous.