Tanzania’s archipelago Zanzibar govt calls to restrict increasing case of child abuse

Tanzania's archipelago of Zanzibar has summoned for the stakeholders to support the government's efforts to tame rising cases of child abuse.

Riziki Pembe Juma, Zanzibar's minister for Education and Vocational Training made the remarks when speaking to journalists who attended a three-day training on children's rights. She cited that Zanzibar cannot meet the Sustainable Development Goals if the current trend of child abuse leaves unattended.

Juma said that despite imposing laws leading to tough punishment against violence perpetrators, child abuse cases have been increasing on a daily basis and the perpetrators are often their close relatives.

The immediate and long term social, health and economic consequences of violence against women and children represent a key challenge to national development, she said, appealing to media practitioners to focus on the area and address the challenge, as reported by Xinhua.

The minister said that the Zanzibar government was ready to work closely with media practitioners in ending the crime. The United Nations Children's Fund representative in Zanzibar, Maha Damaj cited the culture of silence in Zanzibar has been a cause for child abuse where parents kept silent when their children fall victims to torture and physical assaults.

According to her, the UN was ready to support the Zanzibar government to end rampant abuse to children and women on the island.

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