Nordic delegation pushes for human rights

 

GOVERNMENT and development partners need to join forces in scaling up legal aid services at the grassroots level for the underprivileged people in the country to access to justice.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Constitution and Legal Affairs Professor Sifuni Mchome, speaking to Nordic delegation in Dar es Salaam yesterday, said that there is need to have clear strategies on how to address access to justice related issues. 

 

“The last legal reform agenda was 35 years ago and now it is time for the second one,” said Professor Mchome. He described the collaboration between the government and UN as encouraging, saying similar missions were critical in creating opportunities to discuss solutions for common challenges and plans on how to achieve set targets for the future.

A Nordic delegation with representatives from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland has started its week-long mission to Tanzania, holding several meetings on access to justice and the legal sector reforms in the country.

The delegates are in the country to strengthen their collaboration with the UN in support of the Global Goals and strategic development priorities of the Tanzanian government.

Speaking on the mission behalf, Head of Multilateral Cooperation in the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) Anders Rönquist said despite the institutional, political, financial and cultural challenges faced by all, progress in access to justice and legal sector reform was commendable and encouraging.

“Some 55 years ago, the first Nordic mission visited Tanzania, the mission that helped shape aid by Nordic countries for decades...we commend the leadership to take on the challenge of reforming the justice system to better align with international conventions,” he said.

Mr Rönquist said the challenges ahead were significant but Tanzania has also been adjusting very well, look forward to working closer and more strategically in future.

Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance (CHRAGG) Executive Secretary Mary Massay said the UN support for capacity development has improved the ability of Non-Governmental Organisations and civil society organisations to promote and protect human rights in the country.

“There is increased public awareness on human rights, access to justice for marginalised groups, media reporting and improved service delivery to the public.

The government is also increasingly becoming willing to work closely with human right stakeholders,” she noted UN Resident Coordinator Alvaro Rodriguez underscored the need for long-term vision for a coordinated response to sustainable development.

“Attitudinal and behavioral changes take a long time to reach everyone, we are working to change discriminatory cultural practices and norms that are deeply ingrained in people’s lives. Advocacy for change requires maintenance of steady support to partners in the long run,” said Mr Rodriguez.

The delegation also had the opportunity to meet with Tanzanian Police Force and get briefings on police response to cases of gender based violence and child abuse, through the nationwide setup and implementation of the Police Gender and Children’s Desk (PGCD).

To date 2,500 PGCD officers have been trained with support of UN agencies.