THE Tanzania Media Women's Association (TAMWA) has advised women aspiring to run for various positions in the upcoming General Election to develop strategies to combat sexual corruption.

Dr Rose Reuben, Executive Director of TAMWA, made the call in Dar es Salaam yesterday during the launch of Sauti ya Siti magazine which is produced by the association in collaboration with Tanzania Women's Fund (WFT).

She highlighted the importance of gathering evidence as one of the key strategies for reporting and prosecuting those who demand sexual favors in exchange for political nominations or votes.

Dr Reuben emphasised that candidates must be aware of the existence of sexual corruption and take measures to avoid it to ensure it does not derail their ambitions.

"Avoid it because sexual corruption degrades dignity; it is a criminal offence and there are laws protecting you," she said.

Additionally, Dr Reuben urged all qualified women to participate in the election either by running for office or voting. She encouraged women who are not be running to support female candidates by voting for them to ensure adequate representation of women.

"We tell them that voting is their right, and so is running for leadership positions. Therefore, we encourage more women to compete for various leadership positions in this election," she said.

Speaking about the Sauti ya Siti magazine, she mentioned that this year's edition focuses on the issue of sexual corruption within media workplaces. She noted that gathering content for the magazine was not difficult because many individuals have become more aware and are willing to openly share their experiences with such challenges in their work environments.

Paulina Teveli, a representative from WFT, urged journalists to continue reporting on sextortion, especially during the election period. She stated that increased coverage of the issues helps human rights stakeholders identify challenges and take measures to address them, ultimately promoting women's political participation.

"When we read the stories you write, it helps us realise there are specific challenges in certain areas and we can focus our efforts there," she said.

She added that the magazine is part of ongoing efforts to combat violence against women in the country which often hinders their pursuit of dreams.