TAJOGEV Widens Fight Against Violence

Tanzania Journalists Network on Gender and Violence (TAJOGEV) in Shinyanga Region is determined to intensify efforts towards eradication of gender-based violence in the society.

This was revealed by TAJOGEV Secretary, Kasisi Costa, during a two-day training for journalists who are members of the network, in Shinyanga recently.

TAJOGEV is a network established by journalists based in Shinyanga Region as a result of the implementation of anti-violence projects funded by WFTT through the Shinyanga Press club since 2021.

Speaking about the training that brought together 41 Journalists from nine regions of the lake Zone including Simiyu, Shinyanga Geita, Kigoma, Mwanza, Singida Tabora, Kagera and Mara Costa said the objective was to capacitate journalists on gender-based violence and how to identify and report incidents of violence in the society.

"We have been implementing projects on violence in Shinyanga District and we have realized positive results. So, we saw it fit to reach out to journalists outside Shinyanga Region because through unity, we will reach a larger audience and help in creating awareness and intensify the fight against violence.

"Our goal is to get to the grassroots of the problem. If we get there, it means we will know the origins of the problem and its branches. This will be a great way to fight this problem,” Costa said.

He went on to add that the goal of establishing the network is to connect journalists from different regions for them to have a common voice in dealing with acts of violence that have been affecting many areas.

Addressing the same gathering, TAJOGEV Chairperson, Stella Ibengewe said that the training was aimed at building the capacity of journalists to dig deeper and report in depth, to conduct investigations and research and hence will help in the fight against gender-based violence.

_“Up to now, the network has 96 members (43 females and 53 males) from 10 regions. The goal is to make sure we reach the whole country,” Ibengewe added. _

A participant, Mwamvita Issa, contributed that sexual violence exists in many other regions in the country and is influenced by traditions and customs, while lack of basic services is the source of incidents of violence. At the end of the training, participants recommended the following way forward:

• More awareness to TAJOGEV members on gender violence in the country for them to be able to know the real situation of the violence. • To determine, share, and exchange experiences of journalists from different areas regarding their profession and issues of gender-based violence. • To discuss the methods of operating the network by learning from other Networks inside and outside Shinyanga Region in order to be able to identify challenges and strategies for the implementation of the TAJOGEV Network.

• Analyzing and identifying oppression systems that affect women and children from other regions in order to provide experience on how to raise their voices and eliminate those systems using the media.

The projects conducted in the previous phases, regarding the voice of the media in the eradication of violence in Shinyanga District, increased the scope of violence incidences coverage where 320 news items were published, while journalists were trained on gender-based violence so that they own the agenda.