Tanzanian musicians to play GBV fundraising concert

The musicians programmed to perform at the event include Seghito, Shika Ndoto Allstars, Nuri Bedja, Ben Pol, Siti and the Band, Nandy and Tofa Jaxx. Some of the musicians on the bill recently recorded a song titled ‘Usawa’ in a bid to sensitise the public about GBV.

The event will include an awards ceremony to mark the 16 Days of Activism Against GBV campaign, which was officially launched on 25 November. The campaign will run until 10 December and coincides with Human Rights Day. The organisers will award outstanding individuals and organisations for their role in raising GBV awareness in music, health, religion and the private sector.

Event organiser Cecile Frobert, who is the head of cooperation and cultural affairs at the French embassy in Tanzania, told Music In Africa that the funds raised at the event would be distributed to six NGOs to empower women and young girls in communities through structured GBV information sessions.

Frobert says GVB can be prevented by believing survivors, adopting comprehensive and inclusive approaches that tackle root causes, transforming harmful social norms, and empower women and girls.

“The GBV issue is not only devastating for survivors of GBV and their families but also entails high social and economic costs,” Frobert said. “Access to justice as a victim is a challenge in Africa as it is in Europe and France. I experienced it: four years of fighting to be heard and to get a sentence for a rapist in France and a lot of money spent with lawyers. Who has the energy and money to do so? Very few victims.”

She added: “The Me Too movement in the US and Europe has to reach Africa. When victims speak out and louder on social media and traditional media, the authorities are forced to act.”

Seghito, who is also a researcher and women’s rights activist, says reducing violence against women and girls requires a community-based, multi-pronged approach and sustained engagement with multiple stakeholders.

“The reason GBV of any form continues to thrive is that society has normalised such acts,” she said. “Generally, women are seen as the weaker sex, even for those who are educated and breadwinners in the family. I am incredibly passionate about empowering women because I take a harsh stand against gender inequality. As an artist who is not very famous, I try to create opportunities for females and roar so that a thousand years from now another woman will not have to wipe her tears wondering where in history she lost her voice.”

Also on 8 December, the German embassy with GIZ Tanzania and the East African Community (EAC) will host a regional forum and dialogue to address the challenges of advancing the fight against GBV on a national and regional level. The conference will feature stakeholders from the EAC and its organs, the East African Legislative Assembly, NGOs working to fight GBV, academia, media and stakeholders from the public and civic space.