Dar es Salaam, In a concerted effort to combat gender-based violence, over 2000 young people from various universities and colleges in Tanzania have actively participated in a series of events marking the 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence. This global campaign, supported by UNESCO’s O3 PLUS project, took place in four regions of Tanzania and involved multiple educational institutions and government entities.

According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the UNESCO O3 PLUS project collaborated with 11 higher learning institutions including the University of Dodoma, University of Iringa, University of Dar es Salaam, and others, along with government bodies like the Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups. The campaign’s activities ranged from peaceful demonstrations and symposiums to entertainment and city clean-up initiatives, all focused on raising awareness about gender-based violence.

The event also served as a platform to disseminate findings from the O3 PLUS Project’s baseline study (2022), which revealed that approximately 60% of students in Higher and Tertiary Education Institutions lack adequate knowledge about gender-based violence. This insight underscores the importance of educational interventions in addressing GBV issues.

The UNESCO O3 PLUS Project aims to empower young people in higher and tertiary education institutions to achieve positive health, education, and gender equality outcomes. This includes reducing new HIV infections, unintended pregnancies, and sexual and gender-based violence, thereby fostering a safer and more equitable educational environment.