INTRODUCTION
1.
The United Republic of Tanzania (henceforth, Tanzania) ratified the African Charter on the
Rights and Welfare of the Child (the Charter) in March 2003 and submitted its Initial Report in 2008, which
was considered by the Committee in 2009. In addition, the State Party has ratified the UN Convention on the
Rights of the Child (CRC) and submitted reports to the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CROC) as per
the Convention. This is a consolidated report consisting of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Periodic Reports submitted to
the Committee by Tanzania in accordance with Article 43 of the Charter. The report outlines the measures
that have been undertaken by Tanzania in the period since 2009 to effect the provisions of the Charter. It also
details the progress made so far and challenges faced by Tanzania in ensuring the enjoyment of child rights in
the country.
2.
In preparing this report, the State Party used the Guidelines on the Form and Contents of
Periodic State Party Reports Submitted Pursuant to Article 43(1)(b) of the Charter. The drafting process also
benefited from relevant and compatible information contained in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Consolidated Report on
the Implementation of the CRC the State Party submitted to the CRC Committee in January 2012; and on the
Concluding Observations made thereon in 2015.
3.
In particular, the drafting process was coordinated by two ministerial departments
representing both Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar: the Department of Children Development in the Ministry
of Community Development Gender and Children (MCDGC) representing the Mainland; and the Department
of Children Development in the Ministry of Empowerment Social Welfare Youth Women and Children
(MESWYWC) representing Zanzibar. The two departments were responsible for coordinating stakeholders
from each part of the Union and at the national level they jointly coordinated the process under the guidance
of the Union Attorney General, who is responsible for overall coordination of state reporting to international
human rights treaty-bodies.1
4.
The drafting process was both consultative and inclusive, bringing on board a wide array of
state and non-state actors (NSA’s) including children. Stakeholders were specifically consulted through
workshops, seminars and meetings in Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar and their views have been used to
inform the preparation of the report. In addition, the views of children – expressed through their established
forums – are contained in Annex 1 attached to this report.
5.
Therefore, this report sets out specific measures undertaken by the State Party to implement
every provision of the Charter in accordance with the Charter and the Committee’s Guidelines.
1
Section 14(f) of the Office of the Attorney General (Discharge of Duties) Act, No. 4 of 2005 the Attorney General is obliged to
coordinate ‘reporting obligations to international human rights treaty bodies to which Tanzania is a member or on matter which
member states are required to report.’
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