ENHANCEMENT OF PUBLIC AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MEASURES AGAINST CHILD ABUSE IN NJOMBE REGION

1. INTRODUCTION.
Globally, it is estimated that up to 1 billion children aged 2–17 years, that is, one out of two children worldwide have experienced physical, sexual or emotional violence and neglect in the past year. (Hillis S, et al, 2016). Violence against children has impacts on the well-being of children, families, communities and nations. Child abuse negatively impacts the mental and physical health of children in the short- and long-term as well as their level of educational attainment. (Gershoff et al,2016). Many children continue to experience various abuse in a world where by is not limited by geography, socioeconomic level or cultural background. It can take forms like neglect, emotional, physical and sexual abuse.
In Tanzania, children account for 47 percent of reported and recorded cases of human rights abuses, followed by women (33 percent), the elderly (10 percent) and people with disabilities (4%). Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) report 2018. According to police data included in the paper, between 2017 and 2021, 70,997 violent crimes against minors were registered at police stations nationwide, with an average of 14,199 instances each year, 1,183 events per month and 39 incidents per day. Tanzania has high rates of violence against children where by 56.5% of girls and 52.7% of boys experience some form of physical violence and approximately 26.7% of girls and 11.6% of boys are exposed to sexual violence before reaching the age of 18. (Chiang et al,2018). According to LHRC (2018), shows that violence against children is on the rise in the country, with a significant increase in the number of incidents reported to the police in the first six months of 2018 compared to the same period in 2017. 6,376 incidents of violence against children were reported to the police by mid-2018 up from 4,728 incidents by mid-2017. There were 759 reported cases of child rape reported to the police in the first six months of 2017 compared to 2,365 in 2018.
According to (NPAVAWC 2017/18 – 2021/22), In 2011, Tanzania released the findings of a Violence against Children (VAC) survey which found that one in three girls and one out of seven boys experience some form of sexual violence before turning 18. Rates of physical and emotional violence are high among girls, 72% experience some form of physical violence, while for boys the figure is 71%. In 2019, over 27,000 cases were reported, followed by nearly 28,000 in 2020 and around 20,000 in 2021. Additionally, in 2023, the Minister of Community Development, Dr Dorothy Gwajima reported that police recorded over 15,000 incidents of violence against children between January 2022 and March 2023.The main reason for this is children’s vulnerability and cultural practices.
Child abuse is a serious and persistent issue in Njombe Region, with numerous cases of violence, neglect and exploitation affecting children. In 2019 the region has witnessed a tragic rise in child abuse incidents, including extreme cases of child killings (Police Gender Desk, 2023) . Over few weeks, ten children were reported murdered with their bodies mutilated. Among them were three children from a single family, aged five, eight and eleven years. These incidents highlight the urgent need for sustainable intervention measures to prevent and respond to child abuse. Young adolescent girls, were particularly vulnerable due to their limited life experience and physical defense capabilities (Socio-economic Profile, 2024). These findings align with the research on rape survivors in Ramadhani Ward (Njombe) emphasizing the role of biological, social and economic factors in increasing the risk of sexual violence. Adolescent girls, were seen as more vulnerable due to limited life experiences and physical defense capabilities. Poverty was also highlighted as a risk factor, exposing women to dangerous situations. (Njohole, W et al, 2023). Therefore, this project aimed at increasing public awareness, strengthening community-based engagement and protection mechanisms for addressing the root causes of child abuse toward ensuring the safety and well-being of children in Njombe.
2. PROJECT GOAL AND OBJECTIVES
Project Goal: To significantly reduce the incidence of child abuse in Njombe Region by enhancing public awareness, strengthening prevention and response measures.
Main Objective:
Enhance public awareness, strengthen prevention and response measures against child abuse in Njombe Region.
Specific Objectives:
i. Increase community knowledge on the signs, effects and prevention of child abuse.
ii. Strengthen and promote accessible and effective reporting channels for child abuse cases in the community.
iii. Raise awareness of the mental health impact of child abuse in the community.

3. PLANNED ACTIVITIES
Main Objective:
• Enhance public awareness and strengthen prevention and response measures against child abuse in Njombe Region.
Specific Objective 1: Increase community knowledge on the signs, effects and prevention of child abuse.
Activities:
• Conduct community awareness campaigns through public meetings, radio and social media.
• Conduct training sessions for parents, teachers and community or local leaders.
• Distribute educational materials (brochure, posters) on child abuse signs, effects and prevention.
• Engage local influencers, religious leaders to advocate against child abuse.
Specific Objective 2: Strengthen and promote accessible and effective reporting channels for child abuse cases.
Activities:
• Establish and strengthen child protection committees at the village and ward levels.
• Set up and promote a child abuse reporting hotline in the community.
• Establish suggestion boxes in schools for anonymous reporting.
• Train community members, teachers and local leaders on how to report and handle child abuse cases.
• Collaborate with law enforcement and child protection agencies to improve case response.
Specific Objective 3: Raise awareness of the mental health impact of child abuse on survivors and their families.
Activities:
• Conduct community dialogues on the psychological impact of child abuse.
• Organize counseling and psychosocial support sessions for survivors and affected families.
• Train community health workers on trauma-informed care for child abuse victims.
• Develop and distribute mental health awareness materials on child abuse effects.
Target population.
• Children and youth (potential victims)
• Parents and caregivers
• General community members
• Community health workers, social workers and counselors.

4. KEY STRATEGIES
• Community engagement and awareness: Conduct public meetings, door-to-door sensitization and media campaigns (radio, social media, posters, and TV). Involve local influencers, community and religious leaders to help spread awareness messages and organize school-based awareness programs targeting students and teachers.
• Capacity building and Training: Conduct training workshops for teachers, community leaders, social workers and health workers on child protection, prevention and response. Train parents and caregivers on positive parenting and the dangers of child abuse. Build the capacity of law enforcement and child protection officers to effectively handle cases.
• Strengthening Reporting and Response Mechanisms or measures.
Establish and promote a child abuse reporting system (hotline, suggestion boxes or local offices). Strengthen the role of child protection committees at village and ward levels to facilitate reporting. Improve collaboration between social welfare offices, law enforcement and healthcare providers to ensure cases are properly handled.

Sustainability plan.

Sustainability plan is crucial for ensuring long-term protection and awareness regarding child safety. One of the plans is integrating child protection modules into school curriculums. Collaboration with local authorities, law enforcement and non-governmental organizations is necessary to institutionalize reporting and response mechanisms, ensuring that protective measures extend beyond short-term projects. Partnering with healthcare providers guarantees that mental health services remain accessible even after project ends. Training community members, local leaders as child protection advocates strengthens grassroots efforts and enhances local capacity for prevention and response. The use of media, schools and religious institutions as platforms for spreading information further reinforces public awareness and engagement on prevention child abuse. Conducting periodic impact assessments and gathering stakeholder feedback helps refine and sustain interventions over time. Through these strategies, child protection initiatives can achieve lasting sustainability and meaningful impact within communities.
5. MONITORING AND EVALUATION COMPONENT.
• Conduct surveys at the beginning and end of the project to assess knowledge levels, attitudes and practices related to child abuse prevention.
• Conduct periodic meetings with local authorities, child protection agencies and partners to evaluate progress and make necessary adjustments.
• Compile success stories and lessons learned to improve future interventions.
6. KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS.
• Number of awareness campaigns and workshops/training sessions and community dialogues conducted and participants trained.
• Number of community members reached through campaigns.
• Number of educational materials distributed.
• Level of community knowledge before and after awareness.
• Number of child protection committees established
• Number of people trained on reporting procedures.
• Number of reported cases before and after awareness campaigns.
• Functionality and responsiveness of the child abuse reporting hotline (measured through reported cases and follow-ups).
• Number of survivors and families receiving counseling or psycho-social support.
• Number of community health workers trained on trauma-informed care.
• Increased awareness levels on mental health impacts
7. PROJECT TIMELINE AND FUNDING REQUIREMENTS.
The project will be implemented for twenty four months and will cost a total of 116,099 USD