TAMWA, Executive Director, Ananilea Nkya
LEADERS of three strong activists’ human rights organizations say it is important for communities to debate on the negative impact of alcohol drinking and take action to stop alcoholism.
They charged that without communities in both rural and urban areas taking serious measure to stop alcoholism cases of Gender-based Violence (GBV) under the influence of alcohol will increase to an alarming rate.
The activists leaders said men who commit violence against women and children acts under the influence of alcohol may transform if communities at sub village and village levels as well as in the institutions would initiate debate on how best to curb alcoholism.
The leaders from the Mwanza-based KIVULINI Women’s right organization and the Dar es Salaam based Women Legal Aid Centre (WLAC) and Crisis Resolving Centre (CRC) made the remarks over the weekend in an interview with TAMWA.
They said in most cases GBV acts such as women battery, rape, women and children abandonment, abusive language are committed under the influence of alcohol.
Maimuna Kanyamala, the Executive Director of KIVULINI, an organization that has implemented a successful campaign against GBV in Lake Zone said through public cinema and debates more than 350,000 have transformed from alcoholism and become agents of social change.
The Executive Director of WLAC Theodosia Muhulo Nshala and the Coordinator of CRC Elizabeth Muhangwa said most of the women and children who frequent their organizations are survivors of GBV perpetrated under the influence of alcohol.
The activist leaders urged other women human rights activists organizations in the country to examine critically GBC cases reported to their respective organization to note and record those linked with alcoholism so that data are collected for further advocacy against alcohol related ill acts.