Tanzania

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Publications

‘We are managing our own lives . . . ’: Life transitions and care in sibling-headed households affected by AIDS in Tanzania and Uganda
This paper explores the ways that young people express their agency and negotiate complex lifecoursetransitions according to gender, age and inter- and intra-generational norms in sibling-headed householdsaffected by AIDS in East Africa. Based on findings from a qualitative and participatory pilot studyin Tanzania and Uganda, the author examines young people's socio-spatial and temporal experiences of headingthe household and caring for their siblings following their parent's/relative's death. Key dimensions ofyoung people's caring pathways and life transitions are discussed: transitions into sibling care; the waysyoung people manage changing roles within the family; and the ways that young people are positionedand seek to position themselves within the community.

A Civil Society Forum for East and Southern Africa on Promoting and Protecting the Rights of Street Children
This report documents The Civil Society forum for East and Southern Africa, the second in a series of regional forums organised by the Consortium for Street Children with the aim of bringing together key NGOs and government representatives from selected countries to exchange experiences and formulate recommendations for the promotion and protection of the human rights of street children within each region.

Africa's Orphaned and Vulnerable Generations: Children Affected by Aids
'Africa's Orphaned and Vulnerable Generations: Children Affected by AIDS' is an update of the 2003 report 'Africa's Orphaned Generations'. It incorporates new and refined estimates of the number of children orphaned in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as current research on the impact of AIDS and orphaning. Information about orphans in the region has increased significantly in recent years and research has become more rigorous. And, while information on other vulnerable children in the region lags far behind, the situation of some well-defined groups, such as children living with chronically ill parents, is now being studied more systematically.

Born to High Risk: Violence against Girls in Africa
The African Child Policy Forum believes that ending violence against girls in Africa is one of the most pressing challenges facing Africa today. Hence, this report which has been prepared to inform the discussions at the Second International Policy Conference on the African Child: Violence Against Girls in Africa (May 11 and 12, 2006). The report pulls together information from three sources: existing literature in violence against girls; thematic studies on five settings in which African girls experience violence; and retrospective surveys of young girls' experiences of violence. This rich and revealing information has been analysed to give an overview of the magnitude of the problem, its causes and consequences, as well as the elements of a possible strategy for the way forward.

Building Resilience A Rights-based Approach to Children and HIV/AIDS in Africa
As the vulnerability of children living in communities affected by HIV/AIDS becomes a clear challenge, governments, international agencies, civil society, neighbourhoods, and families have mobilised to try to tackle the issues these children face. This report provides a brief overview of the responses of the international community and governments in rising to these challenges, the roles of the private and civil society sectors, as well as the responses of families and communities dealing directly with the children.The report argues that a Rights-based approach can rectify many of the distortions that have arisen from a crisis-driven response to children affected by HIV/AIDS, poverty, and conflict, and can provide a beacon for moving forward. The underlying principles of universality, indivisibility, responsibility, and participation provide a firm foundation for framing priorities and responses to vulnerable children and families.

Children on the Streets in Mwanza: Summary of Survey Findings
To find out more about the lives of street children in Mwanza and inform local responses, children and young people on the streets were asked to participate in a survey. This took place in June 2008. 443 children and young people participated in the survey with the majority (88.7%) being full time street children; the remaining 11.3 % return home at night. This report summarises findings from the survey including reasons for participants being on the streets and hardships faced, concluding with reccomendations for future interventions.

Difficult Circumstances: Some Reflections on “Street Children” in Africa
This article cautions against the dangers of adult-centered approaches in child research, calling for more child-centred research methodologies.

Gender-based Violence and Property Grabbing in Africa: A Denial of Women's Liberty and Security
Property grabbing is a new form of gendered violence against women, threatening the security of women across Southern and East Africa. Forced evictions are often accompanied by further acts of violence, including physical and mental harassment, and abuse. Widows are particularly vulnerable, partly as a result of weakened customary practice and social safety nets that used to provide support to widowed women and their children, a situation made worse by the HIV and AIDS epidemic. Defending their property has cost some women their lives, while other women have lost their shelter and source of livelihoods, and have become destitute. The harassment and humiliation that often accompany property grabbing further strip women of their selfesteem, affecting their ability to defend their rights.

HIV/AIDS and Child Labour. A state-of-the-art review with recommendations for action.
A study on the pressure of HIV/AIDS and its exacerbating effects on child poverty, pushing many of them onto the labour market.

Influencing Policy for Children in Tanzania: Lessons from Education, Legislation and Social Protection
Policies are important to promote child well-being, but their impact upon the actual wellbeingof children varies. Some policies draw widespread public and political attention, gettranslated into programmes, attract resources, and are implemented. Others don't. Why isthis?Policies are often analyzed statically, on the basis of evidence and its internal technical logicand argument. But this may explain little about a policy's ability to bring change. Tounderstand what engenders change, it may be more instructive to study policy in practice,and the contextual factors that make change most effective.This paper analyses three recent policy/programme developments regarding child wellbeingin Tanzania and examines the political ‘drivers of change' that influence policy andaction on child well-being.

Life without Basic Service ''Street Children Say''
This study builds on the learning of Street Diary (Save the Children UK, 2001), giving theopportunity for a group of children to represent their own analysis of their situation. Itexamines the human and emotional dimension of life on the street. This is not astatistical or quantitative research but is representative of the feelings of children livingon the street about their lives and organisations working with them.

List of Countries which have Signed, Ratified/Acceded to the African Union Convention on the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child

Mkombozi Census 2005: A Comparative Analysis of Tanzania's Most Vulnerable Children
This census follows-up the census conducted in June 2003 and as such provides a comparative picture of how the situation of the most vulnerable children has altered over an 18 month period. It also enables Mkombozi to monitor whether the efforts of its projects in 4 target communities are having a positive impact in reducing the number of children coming to the streets from these areas.

Mkombozi Census 2006: The Rhetoric and Reality of Tanzania's Street Children
This paper presents the findings from Mkombozi's October 2006 Census, which assessed the trends and situation of vulnerable children on the streets in the Tanzanian towns of Arusha and Moshi.

Mkombozi Centre for Street Children: Press Release
Press Release outlining the findings from Mkombozi's 2005 census providing a detailed comparative analysis of the situation of Tanzania's most vulnerable children over a 18  monthy period.

Networking for Policy Change: An Advocacy Training Manual

Organizational Diagnosis for Advocacy
When groups are considering advocacy, it is helpful for them to assess what advocacy actually can offer their organization, what some of the benefits and risks might be and what organizational barriers might influence their success.

Participatory Action Research: Local Causation of Primary School Drop-outs and Exclusions in the Kilimanjaro Region
This study uses Participatory Action Research as a tool for bringing about societal transformation and includes the active participation of school communites, teachers, students, District Education Officers and community. The findings have been used to propose and initiate changes that address the 'push factors' driving children away from school.

Perception Survey - Survey of Community Members' Perceptions of Children who are Living or Working in the Streets
Mkombozi raises awareness in Moshi and Arusha about root causes of child migration to the streets. During 2008 and 2009, this was partly achieved via educational drama performances in urban market locations where a number of children live, work and interact with many community members on a daily basis. In 2009, Mkombozi used the opportunities provided by drama performances to conduct a survey of community perceptions of children who live/work in the streets.Specifically, Mkombozi's "Perception Survey" was conducted to learn community member's beliefs about why children go to the streets, and what these children are like. The goal was to use the insights gained from the survey findings as a baseline that can inform Mkombozi’s ongoing awareness raising and programmes. Mkombozi has compiled the findings of the survey into a comprehensive report which reveals the ideas and assumptions that exist within the community around this issue. The report also offers analysis of findings and discussion about how different perceptions might lead to different kinds of social action for children...

Police Round-ups of Street Children in Arusha are Unjust, Inhumane and Unconstitutional: Position Paper
This position paper provideas an overview of the current situation of street children round-ups in Arusha, specific violations of domestic and international law that occur during the round-ups and detentions and concludes with recommendations to ensure that round-ups are stopped and street children are provided with appropriate child protection and juvenile justice services.   

Police Round-ups of Street Children in Arusha are Unjust, Unconstitutional and Undermine the United Republic of Tanzania Constitution and Rule of Law: Legal Research Paper
The purpose of this legal research paper is to advance an informed debate amongst Tanzanian Government and Civil Society regarding the constitutionality of police round-ups of street children. Specifically, this paper contrasts international and domestic standards for child protection with the DC's current round-up methodology, revealing violations of human and child rights at each stage of the round-up process.

Policy Paralysis: A Call for Action on HIV/AIDS-Related Human Rights Abuses Against Women and Girls in Africa
Human Rights Watch has documented many gender-based human rights abuses in Africa that fuel the epidemic and make unbearable the lives of women and girls already living with HIV/AIDS. Their research is based largely on the moving and often horrifying stories told to us by African women and girls who have suffered abuse; many such stories are featured in this report. It is our hope that some understanding of the human reality of these abuses will lead to greater protection of the rights of the girls and women like those who have courageously told us of their experiences at the center of a deadly epidemic.

Poverty HIV and Barriers to Education: Street Childrens Experiences in Tanzania
This article discusses the links between poverty, HIV/AIDS, and barriers to education, based on the first-hand experiences of ‘street children' in northern Tanzania. Within the context of national levels of poverty, ‘cost-sharing' in health and education sectors, and the AIDS epidemic, poor families in Tanzania are under considerable pressure, and increasing numbers of girls and boys are consequently seeking a living independently on the streets of towns and cities. My research with street children shows that some children orphaned by AIDS are subject to rejection and exploitation by the extended family after the death of their parent(s). They are exposed to considerable risks of abuse, sexual violence and HIV within the street environment. Here, I discuss the links between poverty, HIV and barriers to education, which compound young people's vulnerability, and offer some policy recommendations in response to the young people's experiences.

Practice Handbook: Methodology for Practicing and Delivering Non-formal Education in Tanzania
This handbook was initially written for Mkombozi educatord delivering Non-Formal Education to street children. However, it's principles and practices are also applicable in a school-based context.

Reclaiming Our Lives: HIV and AIDS, Women's Land and Property Rights, and Livelihoods in Southern and Eastern Africa
This collection of narratives from East and Southern Africa aims to raise awareness not only about the heavy impact of HIV and AIDS on women's property rights and livelihoods in the region but also about the active steps being taken by grass roots organisations to respond to the crisis.  

Sexual Abuse in Tanzania's Schools: Case Studies from Majengo Community
Action alert from Mkombozi Centre for Streeet Children drawing attention to cases of child abuse in Tanzanian primary schools.

Social Protection of Africa's Orphans and other Vulnerable Children
This paper reviews initiatives for orphans and vulnerable children by governments, NGOs, and the World Bank, with a view toward delineating good practices. Designing and implementing appropriate interventions to protect orphans in Africa is a daunting task. This paper examines some of the issues in program design, especially those bearing on targeting. It also assesses the advantages, disadvantages, and costeffectiveness of various program interventions, including education and health subsidies, fostering, orphanages, and children's villages.

Street children and Gangs in African Cities: Guidelines for Local Authorities
The objective of this report to provide guidelines for local authorities in Africa on how to deal with street children in their cities. This is done by: 1) Providing an overview of the issue of street children in general 2)Providing an overview of the issue of different roles local authorities can play when addressing the issue of street children.

Street Children and Street Life in Urban Tanzania: The Culture of Surviving and its Implications for Children's Health
This paper is based on an in-depth study of street children carried out in Dar es Salaam from 1994-5. The main objectives were to identify structures and processes that generate and perpetuate the increasing number of street children, to understand the historical background of these children and to examine the inmplication of street life on their health.

Street Children: The Situation in East and Southern Africa
Statement by Andy Sexton, International Director for Children at Risk OAS!S, to the House Committee on International Relations Subcommittee on Africa, Human Rights and Global Operations Hearing; 'Protecting Street Children: Vigilantes or the Rule of Law?' This statement examines the situation of street children, using case studies from Ugnada and Zimbabwe,  and concludes with recommendations for international action.

Street Youth in Southern Africa
This article aims to systematically identify and describe contributions social scientists have made to our understanding of street youth in Southern Africa. The article points to problems of defining and doing research on street youth, and to areas in which there are difference of view point. Understanding the phenomenon of street children is needed for designing and fine tuning policy and programmes towards them  

Survey on Street Involved Children & Youth in Tanzania
The Consortium for Street Children (CSC) was requested by the Ministry of Community Development, Gender & Children of the Republic of Tanzania to offer advice on the creation of a National Strategy for Street Children. CSC secured funding for and facilitated: 1) A Street Children Planning Conference which was held in Dar es Salaam from 19th to 21st January 2009 and was attended by 83 representatives from government ministries, municipalities, international agencies, international and local NGOs, bilateral organisations, UN agencies and the street children themselves. This Conference created a 15-point Action Plan and a Task Force to implement the recommendations and advise the government in the creation of its National Strategy for Street Children. The agreed overall aim of those at the conference was to "reduce the number of street children by 60% by 2019". 2) A survey of almost 2300 children on the streets in 7 major urban centres around Tanzania (in addition to a pilot survey of 411 children conducted in the 8th city, Mwanza, in 2008) conducted in July and August 2009 by trained teams of government and NGO staff involved in supporting Tanzania's most vulnerable children. This report summarises the process and results

The experiences and priorities of young people who care for their siblings in Tanzania and Uganda
This report presents key findings from a small-scale pilot research project that explored the experiences and priorities of young people caring for their siblings in sibling-headed households affected by AIDS in Tanzania and Uganda. Qualitative and participatory research was conducted with 33 young people living in sibling-headed households and 39 NGO staff and community members in rural and urban areas of Tanzania and Uganda. The report analyses the ways that young people manage transitions to caring for their younger siblings following their parents' death and the impacts of caring on their family relations, education, emotional wellbeing and health, social lives and their transitions to adulthood. The study highlights gendered- and age-related differences in the nature and extent of young people's care work and discusses young people's needs and priorities for action, based on the views of young people, NGO staff and community members.

The Problem of Street Children in Africa: An Ignored Tragedy
This paper examines Africa's response to the growing problem of street children. Taking Tanzania as a case study the paper examines initiatives that have been and are being taken by various segments of the community to address the problem of street children. What kinds of policies and strategies are African governments putting in place, what is the family and community doing? For instance, to what extent are families, schools and individual members of society dealing with the problem? Indeed, how is the government dealing with the increasing numbers of unsupervised children living alone in urban streets? What role can Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and communitybased organizations play in addressing the problem of street children?

To Have and to Hold: Women’s Property and Inheritance Rights in the Context of HIV/AIDS in Sub-Sahara Africa
This paper seeks to examine the link between HIV/AIDS and women's property rights - if women's lack of rights increases household poverty and women's own vulnerability to infection, and if securing these rights can mitigate the impoverishing impact of the epidemic. The first section of this report explores the relationship between HIV/AIDS and women's property and inheritance rights, and how women may be better able to prevent infection or mitigate its consequences if these rights are protected. The second section discusses the ways that women can obtain access to and control over property and how these rights are often denied in practice, and then provides several country examples. The third section explains de jure and de facto rights to ownership and inheritance and discusses how to bridge the gap when the two differ. The fourth section highlights some "best practices" in efforts to ensure women's property and inheritance rights. The report concludes with lessons learned and suggested next steps.

Trafficking in Human Beings, Especially Women and Children, in Africa
The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of key issues related to the trafficking of human beings, particularly women and children, in Africa. The report presents a preliminary mapping of trafficking patterns and provides an indication of emerging good practices on the continent.

Youth Delinquency and the Criminal Justice System in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
This paper aims to provide better information regarding youth involved in crime thtatcan inform the interventions provided by local authorities, service providers and those local government departments dealing with youth at risk and youth offenders. A better understanding is required on the motivations why children and youth become involved in crime, as well as the risk factors that may drive them to commit crimes. This will ultimately lead to more effective initiatives aimed at improving the living conditions of youth at risk. Consequently, the Dar es Salaam youth offender survey was initiated to gain a better understanding of the levels of crime and violence committed by youth in the Dar es Salaam, and to try and attain an understanding of the causes and reasons that drive youth to commit crime. The aim of this document is to present a descriptive analysis of the findings.

Youth on the Streets: The Importance of Social Interactions on Psychological Well-being in an African Context
This study reflects four months of research including a two-week field assignment to Ethiopia, with the overall goal of gaining greater understanding of the impact of street youth programming on psychosocial well-being. The research was conducted through a partnership between the Displaced Children and Orphans Fund (DCOF) and the George Washington University (GWU). It contains three deliverables, including a new framework for child well-being, the identification of five key program components of street children interventions that are most likely to successfully contribute to psychosocial well-being, and the development of indicators to measure outcomes and impacts within these five domains.

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