ENDING CHILD MARRIAGE AND HARMFUL TRADITIONAL PRACTICES

TANZANIA EXPERIENCE:

Background

• According to 2012 Census in Tanzania children are about 51% out of 43 mil. People in which more than half are girls.

• Tanzania is one of African Countries facing problem of early marriage since the average shows that two out of five girls are married before the age of 18.

• In 2010,about 37% of the women aged 20-24 were married before the age of 18

• 15% of all women age 15-49 have undergone FGC (TDHS2010) • Child bearing before the age of 18 yrs is around 43%• Relates to several factors including Level of education; gender inequality;

HTPs, and Poverty.• Child marriage violate Human Rights of Children; Girl child at higher risk.• Tanzania is party most International and Regional legal instruments that

provide for human rights and for the rights of Children.

International and Regional Conventions and Protocols on the Right of the Child

• Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)• Convention on the Elimination of all forms of

Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) (1979)• Education for All (EFA)(1990)• Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) (1989)• Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (1990)• Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights of Women

in Africa (2003) • SADC Protocol on Gender and Development (2008)

Laws and Policies relating to ending child marriage

• Constitution of The United Republic of Tanzania (1977) • Child development policy (2008)• National Health Policy (2007)• Education and training policy (2014)• Law of The Child Act (2009) defines a child by the age –

under 18• Law of Marriage Act (1971)• The Education Act (1978)• Sexual Offences Special Provisions Act (SOSPA) No. 101

/1998

Existing National strategies

• National plan of action on elimination of FGM and other HTPs 2001-15

• National Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights promotion program

• National costed plan of action (NCPA II) for MVC 2013-17

• National Plan of Action for the Prevention and Response to Violence against Children 2013-2016

• Action Plan for Police Gender and Children’s Desks (2013-2016)

• Five Year Strategy for Progressive Child Justice Reform (2013-2017)

Structures on Ending Child Marriage

• National Level : Setting the Standards – Multisectoral – multistakeholder involvement in Preventing and responding

• Regional and Council levels – Translating and implementing what is set at the National levels as these are the primary implementers

• Different programs targeting different sectors exists

Programs on Ending Child Marriage

• Examples of Programs/interventions– Community based programs to address gender

norms and other harmful traditional practices involving males, community members

– School based programs to empower adolescents and young women on their rights

– Law/sector reforms e.g. LCA, 2009 and its regulations, re-entry policy

Multisectoral Approach on Ending Child Marriage

• Ministries of Community Development, gender and Children (STF on VAC, NTC on GBV)

• Ministry of Health and Social Welfare• Ministry of Education and Vocational training• Ministry of Labor and Employment• Ministry of Information and Youth Development• Ministry of Constitution and Legal Affairs• Ministry on Home Affairs• Development partners; CSOs; Private sector;

Community.

Multisectoral Approach on Ending Child Marriage

• Research and Policy development• Developing guidelines• Planning, Implementation, Monitoring and

Evaluation of programs/Projects.

Success

• The law of the child act, 2009; Translated in Kiswahili• Regulations in place for enforcement of LCA.• Child help line (Pilot in 6 regions)• Police Gender and Children desk established in 417

district police stations• Running Child friendly courts• Child protection committees established at District and

Ward levels• Children councils; National – Ward levels; Produce

Children agenda

Success cont…

• New education policy – provides education to girls irrespective of circumstances

• School re-entry guideline for young mothers(at final stages)• Establishment of Focal Development Colleges• National guideline for Economic Strengthening of MVC

households• 10% decline in child marriage from 2004-2010• Advocacy efforts that led to high level discussion of the age

of marriage. Led to the inclusion of definition of a Child in the draft reviewed constitution

Challenges

• Most of the international instruments have been ratified but not demonstrated into national laws

• Parallel running of Statutory and Customary laws• Age contradiction between laws. Eg. Child and

Marriage Act• Shortage of resources to facilitate comprehensive

programs• Cultural beliefs and practices (eg. FGM/C) that

still puts especially a girl child at risk

M&E Mechanisms

• M&E mechanism in place for related programs• Implementing partners report to relevant

authorities on monthly and quarterly basis or as required by program indicators

• Task forces for each for each program meets Quarterly to review plans and progress

• Periodic surveys scheduled