UNFPA Tanzania Hands Over Police Gender and Children’s Desk in Madema, Zanzibar
Madema – Zanzibar, 15 May 2025 — For every woman who was not believed. For every girl who was silenced. Today, a door opens. Not just to a room — but to justice, dignity, and hope.
In a powerful moment for the fight against gender-based violence in Tanzania, UNFPA, United Nations Population Fund Tanzania, TGNP, in collaboration with the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, the Tanzania Police Force, officially handed over a newly constructed Police Gender and Children’s Desk in Madema - Zanzibar. Funded by the Government of Finland, the new Desk is part of the national Chaguo Langu, Haki Yangu (My Choice, My Right) Programme (2021-2025), which strengthens GBV prevention and response efforts across Tanzania, especially for women, girls including those with disabilities.
Gracing the handover event, Her Excellency Ms. Suzanne Innes-Stubb, First Lady of Finland, commended the tireless work being done in Tanzania to protect and empower survivors of Gender based Violence:
“What I have witnessed here is not only a building, but a message: that survivors matter. Finland is proud to stand with Tanzania and UNFPA in this crucial mission. Let us keep working together — across borders and across communities — to ensure that every woman and every girl can live free from fear, violence, and silence.”
Mr. Mark Bryan Schreiner, UNFPA Tanzania Representative, reaffirmed this mission:
“This desk is more than a building — it is a commitment. A commitment to justice, to dignity, and to a future where survivors of gender-based violence are heard, protected, and supported. It is a symbol of what we can achieve when governments, partners, and communities come together with a shared purpose: to end violence against women and girls, in every corner of Tanzania.”
Commissioner of Community Police Tanzania , CP Faustine Shilogile, highlighted how the facility will enable a shift in survivor response:
“This desk is a game changer in how we serve survivors. Our officers are now equipped with the tools and training they need to respond with professionalism and compassion. We are not only enforcing the law — we are restoring trust.”
The Madema Desk features a private interview room, accessible infrastructure, child-friendly spaces, and officers trained in trauma-informed, survivor-centred care. It is linked to essential referral services including health, legal, psychosocial, and safe shelter support.
Hon. Tabia Maulid Mwita, Zanzibar’s Minister of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports, emphasized the importance of the international-local partnership:
“This partnership between the Government of Finland and Tanzania, supported by UNFPA, shows what can be achieved when we work together with purpose. Our call to action is clear — invest in girls, support survivors, and build communities where gender-based violence has no place.”
Regional Commissioner of Unguja Urban West Region, Hon. Idrissa Kitwana Mustafa,(in the middle) echoed this sentiment, urging collective ownership of the change:
“We are deeply grateful to UNFPA and the Government of Finland for walking with us on this journey. Their support has helped bring vital services closer to our people. I call upon all stakeholders — from community leaders to service providers — to work together and ensure these resources are used to their full potential. Let’s protect our women, children, and persons with disabilities.”
For community members like Asha Saidi, a youth advocate and programme duty bearer, the desk is a lifeline:
“For a long time, many survivors didn’t report violence because they didn’t believe they would be helped. Now, things are different. With this new desk, we feel seen and protected. We know there’s a place we can go and be heard. It gives us courage.”
Halima, a 22-year-old woman from Zanzibar who is deaf was sexually assaulted two years ago. When she sought help at a police station, there was no sign language interpreter, no private space, and no one who could understand her. She left unheard, unsupported, and without justice. Now, imagine Halima walking into the Madema Desk: a quiet, accessible space. An officer trained in survivor-centred care. A system designed to listen, believe, and protect. That is the transformation this programme makes possible together with the government and partners.
Since 2022, the Chaguo Langu, Haki Yangu programme has worked to ensure that stories like Halima’s are never repeated. Through the construction of One Stop Centers in Tarime and Kishapu, the deployment of 200 trained police officers during high-risk FGM seasons in Mara, increased access to justice via the National Child Helpline (116), raising awareness of women and girls rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities within communities, and the reactivation of the GBV Case Management Forum in Zanzibar, the programme is transforming survivor support — from silence and stigma to protection and dignity.
About UNFPA
UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, works to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. At the heart of UNFPA’s mission is a global commitment to achieving zero gender-based violence and harmful practices — leaving no one behind.
Watch this event in the following Links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x43gg22hLxk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIpkcacY_Lk
Media Inquiries:
Dr. Warren Bright,
UNFPA Communications Analyst,
United Republic of Tanzania
Mobile: +255 764 43 44 45
Email: bwarren@unfpa.org
