ZANZIBAR Minister of Community Development, Gender, Elderly, and Children, Riziki Pembe Juma, has requested the national children’s Advisory Board to be united in the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) among women and children.

She made the call yesterday when she met the board at her office in Kinazini in Unguja urban, adding that male children are endangered at a high rate.

Riziki wanted the board members to unite together in the fight against violence against women and children.

The minister said that her ministry was formed to work on various social affairs in the country including children’s issues, where she called on the board to ensure challenges against children are brought to the ministry to find solutions.

She wanted them to change the perceptions of children who refuse to partake in any meetings that have no financial compensations or rewards, a habit that gives room to perpetrators to attempt to violate the children.

She assured them that the ministry will strive to address the challenges they face in the board through their districts as much as possible to see that success is attained from the establishment of the councils.

Tatu Khamis Ramadhan, vice chairperson of the national children advisory board expressed her joy noting that it was the first since the board met the minister, that she highlighted the challenges they face including early child marriages, with some villages violating the children’s Act law number 6 of 2011 which outlines rights of children.

She requested the ministry to provide special certificates to verify the servitude of members or leaders who completed their tenure at the children's councils.

They also requested the possibility of establishing one-stop centres in various hospitals to simplify the provision of medical services for victims of gender violence.