Masanga — "If only we had a community free from gender-based violence, teenage pregnancy, child marriage and female genital mutilation, then all girls would be able to achieve their dreams," Tanzanian teenager Bhoke* told UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency.
Bhoke lives with her mother and two siblings in the village of Masanga, in the Mara region of the United Republic of Tanzania. At just 18 years old, she has witnessed first-hand how gender inequality and the violence it drives rob women and girls of opportunities and stifle their potential. "I have seen many girls drop out of school because of female genital mutilation, child marriage and teenage pregnancy. It hurt me so much," she said.
Female genital mutilation has become rarer in the country, but about 8 per cent of women and girls aged 15 to 49 are still subjected to it; in 2019, nearly a third of Tanzanian girls were married as children and almost a quarter became mothers before their 18th birthdays. Meanwhile in 2022, almost four in ten women reported that their current or most recent partner physically, sexually or emotionally abused them.
Bhoke decided she wanted to change things. Her goal began to take shape in 2022 when she met Bernard Chacha*, a young volunteer working with an organization aimed at empowering young people with information about their right to live free from gender-based violence and discrimination. Bhoke decided to join.
The Chaguo Langu Haki Yangu: My Choice, My Rights programme, funded by Finland and supported by UNFPA, offered her the opportunity to become a leader on gender equality in her community. "The programme taught me about girls' rights and how to stand up for mine, and that gender-based violence is a violation of human rights. It also helps me make safe decisions about my sexual health," she said.
Spreading the word
It wasn't long before Bhoke began thinking about how to share the knowledge she'd gained through the programme with students at her own school.
In November 2022, she organized a school outreach campaign together with Mr.Chacha to promote the global annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. They conducted a two-day training session at Bhoke's school, reaching 150 students with educational resources on preventing gender-related harms. Following that success, Bhoke founded a weekly club so she and her schoolmates could continue learning about and advocating for gender equality in their own lives.
Bhoke has now become a community leader in her own right, earning the trust of her fellow students who turn to her for advice on dealing with gender-based violence and seeking support.
After speaking to Bhoke about the sexual abuse she had been subjected to by a family member at home, Tomondo*, a fellow student, felt able to report the incident.
"I informed Tomondo about her rights, and built her confidence to report her case to the police," she explained. "She agreed to report her abuser, who was arrested. Now the case is in the hands of the local government authorities."
Equality for all
Despite great strides to address challenges faced by the country's women and girls, female genital mutilation, intimate partner violence and unintended pregnancy remain daily realities for thousands of girls like those from Bhoke's community. In Mara, one of the poorest regions, rates of female genital mutilation are three times as high as the national average and half of all women over the age of 15 have experienced some form of physical violence.
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Community leaders like Bhoke are working hard to change the trajectory of girls' lives in Mara, and their advocacy - together with investments in programmes like Chaguo Langu Haki Yangu - have had tangible successes. Between 2015 and 2022, the region's rates for intimate partner violence dropped from 78 per cent to 66 per cent, while the prevalence of female genital mutilation and adolescent pregnancy also declined.
Bhoke is determined that addressing gender-based violence one step at a time will help all girls to fulfill their dreams, and one day hopes to become a doctor to continue to protect their right to live healthy, safe lives free from violence.
"Things will change if girls learn about rights and choices and how to say no. It will enable us to empower young women and adolescent girls, including those with disabilities, to claim their rights to be protected from any form of violence and harmful practices."
*Names changed for privacy and protection.
