Pangani District commissioner Regina Chonjo.
Tanga. Pangani District
commissioner Regina Chonjo has called on women and Pangani District
residents in general to refuse to be silent spectators of violations
against women’s and girls’ rights.
According to
research conducted by a local organisation that is pioneering creative
and innovative grassroots interventions, Uzikwasa, the incidents are
rampant in the district.
Speaking at the launch the
third in a series of Uzikwasa’s feature films that portrays common forms
of violence against women and girls, Chionjo said Pangani women and
residents in general must be courageous and take action against such
violations which were tainting the image of the district.
“You
must show courage just like Aisha, the main character in the film.
Aisha, against odds decides to fight a tough battle for justice after
being raped by a gang commonly known as Mtungo,” the DC emphasised.
She
said parents are being irresponsible and were the source of violations
of women’s and girls’ rights through abuses such as gang rape.
She
added that there were several incidents that happened in the district
that needed the residents to speak out and take action against. She
mentioned such incidents as early marriages and child labour.
Chionjo
also lashed at use of girl children in selling various commodities,
saying that such a tendency denied the youngsters the chance to go to
school.
“A few days ago, I came across a girl carrying a
bowl of roasted cassava and when I asked her why she hawking the items,
she said that she would not be allowed to eat at home if she refused to
do it,” Chonjo narrated.
The District Commissioner
promised to take punitive action against parents and other people who
would engage in actions that violate girls’ rights
Speaking
earlier, the Uzikwasa director, Dr. Vera Pieroth, said it was the
organisation’s hope that the film would inspire a dialogue amongst
“ourselves and search for answers to several questions that arise on
incidents that happen in the society.”
According to Dr Pieroth, the film is part of a larger multimedia communication campaign ‘Banja Basi’ (Speak Out) in Pangani.
The
film is about stigma, shame and victim blame and how this prevents
women from speaking out. According to Dr. Pieroth, the film was also
about authorities’ and leaders’ reluctance to take action against
violations of women’s rights.
“The film was made to break the silence around an atrocity that happens every day both in our community and
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