LHRC and police commanders convene in Mwanza and Arusha to address rising femicide cases.

On June 6th and 8th, 2024, the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) convened a crucial meeting with Police Commanders from the Mwanza, Geita, Arusha, and Kilimanjaro regions to address the pressing issue of femicide. The meeting took place in Mwanza city and at the Golden Crest Hotel in Arusha.

Dr. Anna Henga, the Executive Director of LHRC, inaugurated the session with an in-depth discussion on intimate-partner killings. She highlighted key findings from the 2023 report on the intentional killing of women, which included data from the regions of Geita, Mwanza, Arusha, Kilimanjaro, and Dar es Salaam. According to the report, the number of incidents had risen from 35 in 2022 to 50 in 2023, showing a 15% increase. Notably, the 2022 report documented 34 female victims and one male victim, whereas the 2023 report recorded 45 female victims and five male victims.

Advocate Getrude Dyabene, Senior Program Gender Unit LHRC, presented an analysis on various aspects of femicide. She elaborated on the types of femicide, the reasons why many endure such violence, and the risk indicators of abuse and intimate partner violence (IPV). These indicators are notably prevalent in regions such as Mara, Dodoma, Kagera, Iringa, Njombe, Tabora, Mwanza, Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Singida, Geita, Morogoro, and Manyara, with prevalence rates around 40%.

The primary objective of the meeting was to enhance awareness of femicide and to ensure that the Police Force can accurately document these incidents. Discussions also focused on strategies for arranging protection for victims when they seek help and included a series of recommendations for both the Government and the Police to better address and prevent these violent incidents.