Community Change Agents(CCA)-Led Interventions Strengthen Anti-VAWC Efforts

Violence against women and children (VAWC) remains a persistent challenge for Tanzania as it ravages areas such as Shinyanga District. It is against this backdrop that addressing the root causes of the challenge requires a multifaceted approach. This involves tackling structural issues of patriarchy and gender inequality, challenging harmful traditional practices, improving legal frameworks, enhancing awareness and education, and addressing socio-economic factors.

In response to the challenge, Thubutu Africa Initiative (TAI), through the Joint Power, Safe Community project, engaged Community Change Agents (CCAs) to raise awareness about the harms of unequal power dynamics in households and gender-based violence (GBV) within the community. CCAs are trusted community members, who act as the backbone of the fight against VAWC. They play a pivotal role in increasing awareness and fostering action at grassroots level.

In empowering CCAs to execute their roles, TAI organized planning meetings that included capacity-building sessions on effective strategies for raising awareness about GBV and unequal household power dynamics. TAI also facilitated ten CCAs to attend coalition meetings with the SHYEVAWC working group as potential individual members. This engagement allowed CCAs to channel cases identified in their communities and collaborate with other actors fighting VAWC.

One of the CCAs, Elipendo , said,_ “We received training from TAI on how to perform our duties. We also received education on violence and its indicators, and how to report it. We also participated in monthly meetings where all CCAs gathered to discuss the progress of our work, and we also participated in other meetings.”_

She added that their main responsibilities included visiting households and providing education on issues of violence and parenting, identifying cases of violence through discussions with community members, recognizing signs of violence and reporting them to the relevant authorities, and identifying indicators of violence and reporting them.

“The methods we used included going door-to-door, using community meetings such as public gatherings, women’s groups, and various forums," said Elipendo.

The TAI’s Programme Manager, Paschalia Mbughuni, highlighted the significant contributions of CCAs to the fight against the anomaly. She explained that, as a result of the trainings and support provided, CCAs conducted numerous awareness sessions across households, reaching a broad audience and educating them on the importance of recognizing and reporting GBV cases.

“The efforts of CCAs led to increased awareness and reporting of GBV cases. For example, between April and October 2024, about 34 new GBV cases were reported, showing that the community is becoming more aware and willing to take action,” Mbughuni said.

The proactive involvement of CCAs has fostered a sense of responsibility and ownership among community members regarding anti-VAWC interventions. This has strengthened community ownership of these efforts, empowering residents to actively report and address cases of violence. CCAs have served as local focal points, bridging the gap between victims and formal support systems, thereby facilitating timely interventions by ward-level and higher authorities.

_“In our area, child marriages used to be a major challenge. However, through the education we have been providing, there has been a significant reduction in child marriages. Previously, many children would drop out of school after completing grade six and not proceed to grade seven. Now, we are witnessing children completing primary school, moving on to secondary school, and even finishing it. For us, this is a sign that these marriages have decreased,”_narrated Majaliwa CCA from Pandachigiza.

By raising awareness and reporting cases of violence, CCAs have contributed to improved access to support services for survivors. “CCAs rescued four GBV victims from different wards and referred them to relevant authorities for further support. This demonstrates their effectiveness in providing direct assistance to survivors and connecting them with necessary resources,” Mbughuni added.

Through dialogue sessions and community interventions, CCAs are challenging patriarchal norms and traditional beliefs that perpetuate violence. By fostering discussions on gender equality and rights of women and children, they have contributed to a cultural shift and behavior change. This ongoing engagement has helped to reduce tolerance for violence, creating a safer and more supportive environment.

As from March to November 2024, CCAs conducted awareness sessions that reached 397 households and 1,055 community members (472 men and 583 women). They reported 20 GBV cases, including 14 incidents of physical violence, 5 child marriage cases, and 1 child abandonment case involving a one-year-old child.

The results achieved through CCA interventions have catalyzed significant change in Shinyanga. By raising awareness, challenging harmful norms, empowering women and youth, and strengthening informal community structures, the project has laid the foundation for a more equitable and violence-free society.

Thubutu Africa Initiative implemented the Joint Power, Safe Community project from March to November 2024 with financial support from Women Fund Tanzania Trust (WFT-T). The project aimed to reduce violence against women and children in two wards of Shinyanga District by addressing unequal gender power relations and dismantling harmful patriarchal norms.