(CDF) FORUM 2007 - Children's Dignity Forum

1 ANNUAL REPORT 2006 2007 CHILDREN S Dignity FORUM (CDF) Quest for Children s Dignity First MAKING CHILD MARRIAGE A NATIONAL AGENDA 2 CHILDREN S Dignity FORUM (CDF) ANNUAL REPORT 2006 2007 Making Child Marriage a National Agenda Children s Dignity FORUM , CDF Kariakoo area, Plot no 65, Block 13, 6th Floor, Junction of Morogoro/Lumumba Street P. O. Box 65413 Dar es Salaam Tel. +255 22 2182982/1, 2773037 Email: Website: 3 EDITORIAL Report Writer Koshuma Mtengeti Editorial Board Dr. Monica Magoke Mhoja Ms. Jane N. Magigita Ms.

2 Kilines Betty Sekwiha Publisher Children s Dignity FORUM (CDF) January 2008 ISBN: 9987 464 02 5 4 Acronyms CEDAW Convention on Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women CDF Children s Dignity FORUM DARF Dignity Alert and Research FORUM IFP International Fellowship Program LHRC Legal and Human rights Centre MPLC Morogoro Paralegal Center NGOs Non Governmental Organizations NOLA National Organisation for Legal Assistance PACESHI Shinyanga Paralegal Center SAHRINGON Tz Southern African Human rights NGO Network

3 Tanzania Chapter TAMWA Tanzania Media Women Association TAWLA Tanzania Women Lawyers Association TWCWC Tanzania Women and Children Welfare Centre UNCRC United Nations Convention on the rights of the Child WAT Women Advancement Tanzania WILDAF Women in Law and Development in Africa WLAC Women s Legal Aid Centre WOWAP Women Wake Up 5 REFLECTIONS FROM MONICA & JANE Children s Dignity FORUM (CDF) is privileged to produce its Annual Report covering the period from March 2006 to December 2007.

4 CDF was created as a direct result of a PhD study carried out at Edinburgh University (UK) by one of the founder members Dr Monica Magoke Mhoja. The research study was carried out in three regions in Tanzania focusing on three selected districts and ethnic groups: the Maasai in Mvomero (Morogoro Region); the Sukuma in Shinyanga rural (Shinyanga Region); and the Kurya in Tarime (Mara Region). The research explores the circumstances under which a female child encounters early marriage and is then widowed under a plural legal system. The work draws on empirical data which employs the grounded approach in daily life in 3 districts in Tanzania.

5 It examines legal pluralism in Tanzania and the gendered dimensions of the Law of Marriage Act, 1971 and the Local Customary Law on Inheritance, 1963 and how this has impacted upon child wives and child widows access to justice and other human rights issues. Economic crisis was evident in the three areas of study and vulnerable groups such as female orphans and girls within poor families were the most affected. The situation deteriorated in some incidences as a result of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Female children educational achievement was profoundly affected because of early marriage configured with other socio cultural constraints.

6 Indeed the grounded research on the impact of child marriage planted the seed to initiate the campaign to end child marriage in Tanzania. The researcher teamed up with other staunch human rights activists namely, Helen Kijo Bisimba, Jane Magigita, Dr Boniphace Idindili, Rehema Kerefu Sameji, Ezekiel Masanja, James Mhoja, Esther Mnasizu and Dr Jema Massege who had passion on promoting children s rights . The team has worked tirelessly to put CDF in action. They established CDF to assist potential child brides, child wives, child widows and other vulnerable children in reaching their full potential and giving them a hope for the future.

7 On 13th June 2006 the team launched a national campaign on awareness creation on the impact of child marriage in Tanzania. The period between year 2006 and 2007 aimed at developing a conceptual understanding around child marriage, agreeing on the entry points for policy advocacy and introducing CDF to our potential partners. Being a FORUM , CDF appreciates the role of its collaborative members in achieving its objectives. FORUM members in the Campaign to End Child Marriage in Tanzania includes TAMWA, NOLA, ENVIROCARE, PACESHI, MPLC, WOWAP, TWCWC, LHRC, KULEANA, WLAC, TGNP,TUKOLANE, TAWLA, SAHRINGON (Tz) and WiLDAF.

8 We salute their contribution! International partners include FORWARD, OWA and DARF in the UK; we appreciate the role played by FORWARD, who believed in our noble course and agreed to funds our initial activities. As we approach the year 2008, CDF will start with producing survey reports as a baseline for our activities to come and implement pilot projects in selected areas that we hope to replicate in future in other parts of the country. Furthermore, a close follow up will be made on the ongoing government efforts to review the Law of Marriage Act No. of 1971 and impact on such reforms.

9 6We would like to thank Koshuma Mtengeti for coordinating the FORUM and SAHRINGON (Tz) for hosting CDF. We further welcome the support of individuals, institutions and development partners to support our programs. Let us work together in unity! Asanteni sana! (Thank you very much). Dr. Monica E. Magoke Mhoja Ms Jane N. Magigita CHAIRPERSON/2006 CHAIRPERSON/2007 7 Reflection from the Coordinator To our partners, children s rights activists and FORUM members, This is our first annual report since our registration in March 2006.

10 We are proud to report on what CDF has achieved in 2006 2007, the challenges and prospects ahead. I appreciate the efforts of all CDF members and volunteers who contributed and supported CDF activities. CDF was launched in June 2006 and started working on the Campaign against Child Marriage in the same year. In 2007, CDF successfully conducted the National Consultative Meeting to End Child Marriage in Dar es Salaam from 19th to 21st September 2007. The meeting served as a strategic initiative towards the ending of child marriage in Tanzania. During the meeting, strategies to be used in ending Child Marriage were adopted indicating outcomes, activities and most importantly, CDF adopted the Dar es Salaam Declaration on Child Marriages.