Blog

Guest blog by Valerian Mganiis, an anti-FGM campaigner from Tanzania and a member of Arukah Network.  

FGM is engrained in our culture. Where I live and work, it is believed to be an order from the spirit. The belief goes like this: if a girl has not been cut, then she cannot be accepted in the community. But once she has been cut, she is ready for child marriage, she can be taken out of school, and she can get pregnant at a young age. And so FGM does not just cut a girl’s body, it cuts short her life prospects too. It is at the root of all sorts of social problems that hold back women.

  Tanzania

Guest Blog by Hope Gloria Mugambi Mwanyuma, Founder: Hope Alive Africa Initiative: A safe space for girls is a place where women and girls can go to at any time to feel safer and empowered and have access to information, education, recreational activities, support and services.

  Tanzania, Kenya

Guest blog by a 28 Too Many researcher. During August and September 2013 Gosbert Lwentaro, a researcher based in Dar es Salaam undertook research on FGM in Tanzania for 28 Too Many. His research included meetings and community group discussions in Arusha and Moshi and in this blog he shares some of the findings which show how FGM is changing in Tanzania.

  Tanzania

Blog by Louise Robertson. As we celebrate Human Rights Day 2013, we share a story of a brave woman in Tanzania urging others to abandon the harmful traditional practice of female genital mutilation (FGM).

  Tanzania

It is estimated that 7.9 million women and girls in Tanzania have undergone FGM (UNICEF, 2013).  New research for 28 Too Many’s report “Country Profile: FGM in Tanzania” shows that there has been good progress against FGM in some areas of Tanzania but there are still very strong challenges to eradicating FGM.

  Tanzania

Blog from our Research Co-ordinator, recently back from Tanzania. Following from our previous blog about FGM in Tanzania, we continue with a blog from Singida and Dodoma in Central Tanzania by our Research Co-ordinator, who recently undertook a research project in the country for Tearfund. In Central Tanzania, we found a very different picture to Mara Region in North West Tanzania (see last blog)

  Tanzania

Guest blog from Tanzania by our Research Co-Ordinator. We are shortly approaching the December cutting season in Tanzania.  Our Research Co-Ordinator has just returned from Tanzania, undertaking some research on behalf of Tearfund, and these are her initial findings: “We visited the remote Rorya District in the Mara region in North West Tanzania, near the shores of Lake Victoria. 

  Tanzania

Most countries have declared 18 as the minimum legal age for marriage. However, in Africa 42% marry before this age (ranging from 11-88%, depending on the area). So, what were the aspirations of these child brides? Their dreams were to go back to school, finish their education, gain financial security and independence similar to any child with interrupted schooling. The careers they wish for included being a magistrate, nurse or business women – so similar to my own childhood dreams of being a surgeon, physio or teacher. Programmes of education against FGM and child bride girls clubs can once again make those dreams come true.

  Tanzania, Early/ forced marriage and unions