THE government in collaboration with the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) and partners yesterday inaugurated the provision of legal aid services at the Mwananyamala Regional Referral Hospital one-stop center in Dar es Salaam.

The initiative is a collaboration between the Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs, GIZ, and the Tanzania Women Lawyers Association (TAWLA).

During the launching event, Minister for Constitutional and Legal Affairs Pindi Chana along with German Ambassador to Tanzania, Thomas Terstegen, and GIZ Country Director, Anne Hahn hailed the step saying the special legal aid desk at the centre will help enhance access to justice for vulnerable populations, particularly women and children.

A statement availed to the media yesterday stated that in Tanzania, 40 percent of women aged 15 to 49 have experienced physical violence, and 17 percent have faced sexual violence. Additionally, nearly 30 percent of girls suffer sexual violence before turning 18.

Despite these alarming statistics, reporting rates are low, and many survivors do not seek essential support services such as medical, psychological, and legal aid.

To address the issues, Tanzania has established One Stop Centres for gender-based violence (GBV) and violence against children (VAC) within health facilities. These centers provide a comprehensive range of services—including medical support, social welfare, and police assistance—within a single location, aiming to offer survivors the necessary support in a respectful and dignified setting.

Since its opening in 2019, the Mwananyamala Regional Referral Hospital One Stop Centre has provided survivors with medical and psycho-social support as well as police access. However, until now, there have been no legal support services available at the Mwananyamala OSC or any other OSCs in the country.

 Legal assistance is crucial in helping survivors understand their rights, navigate the reporting process, and follow their cases through the justice system. It also aids in maintaining communication with survivors throughout the investigation and court proceedings, potentially leading to higher conviction rates.

The "Access to Justice for Women and Children" project represents a constructive collaboration between the ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs and GIZ Tanzania. This project aims to address sexualized and gender-based violence by proactively improving access to justice for vulnerable groups, with a particular emphasis on women and children.

This project works to identify legal and institutional barriers to justice, strengthen the capacities of state actors, and enhance community-level legal aid services provided by non-state actors.