SOAWR participates in The Africa Unite Campaign

On the 5th March 2012, 75 men, women and youth commenced a three day trek to the top of Africa’s highest mountain – Mt. Kilimanjaro, standing at 19,341-ft above sea level. This was in support of the Africa UNiTE, campaign on ending violence against women and girls. The climbers represented 36 African countries and signified Africa’s commitment to ending violence against women and girls in our continent. The Climbers were flagged off by H.E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, president of the Republic of Tanzania, at Marangu Gate, and are expected to reach the summit on March 8 2012, International Women’s Day.
As he sent them off President Kikwete told the climbers “I want you to Climb up and shout out at the top of your voices when you reach the summit. Let the echo of your voices resonance back to us so that we hear you from the heights above. Indeed, silence can no longer be tolerated.” The President highlighted the prevalence of violence against women and girls and its negative impacts, asserting that violence against women is undermining Africa’s efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
He further observed that at the regional level, Africa has policy frameworks which included the AU Protocol on Women’s rights in Africa, which Tanzania is party to necessary to achieve the goal of ending violence against women and girls. The President called on all governments in Africa to ensure that they take concrete actions to implement existing commitments including ensuring that ending violence against women and girls is reflected in national planning frameworks and that adequate funding is provided for sustained actions. He also noted that Tanzania had launched the national chapter of the Africa Unite Campaign to end violence against women and girls in May 2008.