Several international and local partners have jointly launched the second phase of a project dubbed Mobilising Action to Safeguard the Rights of girls in Tanzania.

The project is designed to curb multiple forms of gender based violence (GBV) in three districts of Mara and Mwanza regions. The targeted districts are Tarime, Musoma and Ilemela.

The three-year project was officially launched in Tarime this week and attended by key stakeholders taking part in the ongoing campaigns aimed at ending female genital mutilation (FGM), child marriage and teenage pregnancies within the targeted areas.

Speaking at the occasion, Head of Programmes at Children’s Dignity Forum (CDF), Ms Cynthia Mushi, said the project is further aimed at supplementing on- going efforts made by the government to uplift living standards of girls living in difficult conditions.

CDF, a local NGO currently leading FGM and child marriage campaigns in Mara Region is one of the key implementers that had teamed up with FORWARD UK to ensure that the project is successfully implemented to achieve the desired goals.

Other partners implementing the project are Family Planning Association of Tanzania (UMATI) and Wadada Centre for Solution Focused Approach. The project is funded by Comic Relief and Sigrid Rausing Trust of UK.

“This project is a continuation of what was implemented by CDF in Rorya and Tarime districts and UMATI in Musoma district between 2011and 2014,” Ms Mushi said in part of her brief remarks during the event. She said the Mwanza based Wadada centre had joined to implement the second phase of the project in Ilemela District, Mwanza Region. Authorities in Tarime District welcomed the project, pledging full cooperation.

“We value this project and expect to see it empowering girls and young mothers economically and making them know their rights,” said Tarime District Administrative Secretary (DAS), Mr John Marwa. The launching of the project was, among others, witnessed by traditional leaders of Kurya tribe, religious leaders, representatives of beneficiary girls and young mothers, government officials especially from social welfare, community development departments and policewomen from the gender and children police desk.