What happens when violence becomes normal, hidden behind culture, fear, and silence? Across Tanzania, too many children grow up carrying pain no one sees and stories no one hears. It’s time to confront what’s happening behind closed doors and spark a conversation that refuses to stay silent.
“We are grateful that this project is community-based, because real change in ending gender-based violence must be driven by the community.”
Dr. Amour Suleiman Mohammed, Director General at the Ministry of Health Zanzibar
In Zanzibar and across Tanzania, violence against children and women often happens behind closed doors and in the shadow of cultural norms. Thus, it is normalized, hidden, or silenced by fear, stigma, and weak access to support services. For too many children especially girls violence is not a single incident, but a pattern that follows them from home, to school, to the wider community.
According to the 2024 National Survey on Violence Against Children jointly conducted by the Bureau of Statistics in Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, paints a troubling picture: In Tanzania mainland, 11% of girls and 6% of boys aged 13-17 experienced sexual violence in the past year (2024), 24% of girls and 18% of boys experienced physical violence, and 22% of girls and 20% of boys experienced emotional violence.. In Zanzibar. 30.8% of boys and 17% of girls experienced childhood violence. Millions of children face physical, emotional, or sexual violence every year. While the Government has demonstrated commitment in terms of policy and legal framework and made important investment progress including the establishment of One Stop Centres and in strengthening community protection structures, gaps remain. Many survivors still struggle to access justice, coordinated services, and safe spaces to speak out.
Through a four-year project, Break the Silence, Save the Children Tanzania, in partnership with Save the Children Iceland and with support from the Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is strengthening child protection systems to prevent violence, support survivors, and challenge harmful social norms in Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania. The project was officially launched through engagements with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Community Development, Gender and Children and the Ministry of Education and Vocation Training in Zanzibar, marking a renewed commitment for joint action.
A system that protects children at every level
Break the Silence takes a systems-strengthening approach, working at three interconnected levels: communities, schools, and response services.
At the community level, the project will strengthen Shehia Women and Children Protection Committees in Unguja and Pemba. These committees are often the first point of contact when violence occurs. By equipping them with skills on prevention, coordination, and referral pathways, the project ensures that cases of violence are identified early, and survivors are timely supported to access appropriate services safely.
Dr. Amour Suleiman Mohammed, Director General at the Ministry of Health Zanzibar, welcomed the initiative and emphasized the importance of community ownership in ending gender-based violence.
“We are grateful that this project is community-based, because real change in ending gender-based violence must be driven by the community.” he said.
His remarks underscored a key principle of the project: lasting change happens when communities themselves are empowered to prevent violence and protect children.
Parents and caregivers are also central to this work. Through positive parenting programmes based on Save the Children’s Safe Families Common Approach, families will be supported to move away from harmful discipline practices and towards non-violent, nurturing care and addressing discriminatory social norms. When caregivers understand children’s rights and learn alternatives to violence, homes become safer places for children to grow in equality.
In schools, where children spend much of their daily lives, the project will establish and strengthen Child Protection and Gender Desks in primary and secondary schools. Teachers trained as matrons and patrons will work alongside students to create safe reporting spaces, raise awareness about violence, and connect children to help when they need it. These desks give children a voice and ensure schools are part of the protection system, not silent bystanders.
Bringing justice and care closer to survivors
For survivors of violence, access to services can be the difference between healing and continued harm. Yet many One Stop Centres lack legal aid services, leaving survivors without the guidance they need to pursue justice.
Break the Silence will integrate legal aid services into ten One Stop Centres in Unguja and Pemba, working closely with the Ministry of Health and other government departments. Legal officers will be placed within the centres, ensuring survivors receive legal support alongside medical care, psychosocial support, and social welfare services under one roof.
The project will also strengthen coordination among police, social welfare officers, prosecutors, and health workers, improving case management and referral systems. By supporting the rolling out the Primero case management system through refresher training, reliable and disaggregated data will be easily accessible, and help inform better services, decisions, and stronger advocacy.
Reaffirming government commitment, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Community Development, Gender and Children, Ms. Abeda Rashid Abdallah, stressed the importance of cross-sector collaboration.
"As a ministry, we will continue to collaborate with Save the Children. We have been working together for a long time, and cross-cutting projects like this are valuable because they bring together different sectors to achieve positive results. As a ministry, we will cooperate at all levels."
Her statement highlights the shared responsibility across ministries and sectors to ensure protection systems work effectively for every child.
Changing laws, norms, and the future
Violence against children is not only a community issue, it is also a policy issue. Break the Silence supports national advocacy efforts to end child marriage and corporal punishment, working through platforms such as the Tanzania Ending Child Marriage Network and the national Thematic Working Group on ending corporal punishment.
By generating evidence, amplifying children’s voices, and engaging policymakers, the project contributes to long-term legal and policy reforms that protect all children, not just those reached directly by the programme.
Listening to children, protecting their rights
At its core, Break the Silence is about listening to children and ensure their protection. It is about ensuring that when a child speaks up, there is a system ready to respond with care, dignity, and justice.
Over the four years, the project will directly reach more than 7,800 children and adults and indirectly benefit over 24,000 people. But its impact goes beyond numbers. By strengthening systems, changing attitudes, and embedding protection into everyday spaces, Break the Silence aims to create lasting change for children in Zanzibar and across Tanzania.
Because every child has the right to grow up safe. And no child should ever be forced into silence.
By Amani A. Dawai
Violence Against Children Survey 2024
"As a ministry, we will continue to collaborate with Save the Children. We have been working together for a long time, and cross-cutting projects like this are valuable because they bring together different sectors to achieve positive results. As a ministry, we will cooperate at all levels."
