sodomy, sexual harassment, incest, female genital mutilation, child abuse and
trafficking, outlining offences against women in a clearer manner than before and
introducing new offences such as sexual harassment, abuse and trafficking, with stiff
punishments entrenched.
Nevertheless, the Committee observes that the strategies and the action plan
undertaken by the State Party are not widely publicized or known to the majority of its
citizens. Consequently, it is urged that Tanzania should, as a matter of urgency, design
and implement advocacy measures for publicizing the legislative and policy steps, to
curb these harmful traditional practices, in consonance with Article 21 of the ACRWC.
Registration of births
The State Party has reported that there is currently growing awareness of the
importance of prompt birth registration. It has further reported that there are key
constraints to birth registration in the Mainland, including a lack of public awareness of
the importance of birth registration and the process by which births are registered, as
well as significant cost implications for services that is ostensibly free. Other factors
include the Registrar General’s office lack of capacity, equipment and materials
necessary to make the system work; and there is lack of policy and legislative mandate
to ensure accountability and coordination. In addition there is lack of law enforcement to
make the registration compulsory.
The Committee observes that there is lack of the enforcement mechanisms to ensure
smooth and effective birth and death registration and also that there is no mechanism to
ensure birth and death registration free for those who cannot register and get the
respective certificates.
The Committee urges the State Party to take urgent measures to redress this situation
by ensuring the availability of all the requisite measures and equipment to facilitate
compulsory birth registration, as provided under Article 6 of the ACRWC.
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