While the country has made notable progress in strengthening laws and policies on child protection, the lack of secure shelters continues to expose many girls to repeated abuse, trauma and school drop-out.
Dar es Salaam. The shortage of safe houses for girls who survive gender-based violence (GBV) remains one of the biggest obstacles to protecting girls’ rights and keeping them in school in Tanzania, according to specialists.
While the country has made notable progress in strengthening laws and policies on child protection, the lack of secure shelters continues to expose many girls to repeated abuse, trauma and school drop-out.
Data from the Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS) and reports by Unicef and UNFPA show that nearly four in 10 girls and women aged 15–49 have experienced physical violence, while sexual violence remains widely underreported.
Among adolescent girls, violence is closely linked to early pregnancy, child marriage and permanent exclusion from education. Across Africa, the picture is equally worrying. According to the African Union, one in three girls experiences some form of violence before the age of 18.
Experts agree that without safe spaces where survivors can heal, access justice and continue learning, efforts to protect the girl child remain incomplete. It is against this background that the Msichana Initiative has launched the construction of a new safe house for girls who have survived gender-based violence.
The centre, being built in Kiromo, Bagamoyo District, will be the fifth of its kind in Tanzania, highlighting both progress and the huge unmet need.
Speaking during the launch on January 20, 2026, Msichana Initiative executive director Ms Consolata Chikoti said the absence of safe houses often forces survivors to return to the same violent environments.
“Girls who survive violence need more than rescue. They need care, guidance and time to heal as they pursue justice,” she said. “Many girls escape abuse only to be sent back because there is nowhere safe for them to stay.”
Ms Chikoti said the organisation’s 2023–2027 strategy identified safe accommodation as a critical gap in Tanzania’s child protection system.
Once completed, the Bagamoyo centre will offer temporary shelter, psychosocial support, legal aid and life-skills training to help girls rebuild their lives. The Sh4 billion required to complete the centre is seen by experts as a potential game changer. The investment represents protection, continuity of education and long-term social returns.
Msichana Initiative founder Ms Rebecca Gyumi described the project as a long-held dream shaped by years of advocacy against child marriage and abuse.
“Throughout our work, we kept meeting girls who had nowhere to go while their cases were being handled. This centre will give them safety and dignity. We are calling on other stakeholders to support us so that it can fully serve its purpose,” she said.
Government officials say such initiatives complement state efforts. Bagamoyo District Executive Director Ms Stella Msofe said the centre would reduce the burden on public institutions at a time when GBV cases are rising.
“Cases of violence exist in our communities, including children abandoned by their families. This centre will be a big relief, not only for Bagamoyo but for girls from other areas as well,” she said, pledging government support to ensure its completion.
Education and child rights experts argue that safe houses are directly linked to girls’ education outcomes. An education sociologist at the University of Dar es Salaam, Dr Rose Mkumbo, said violence is one of the silent drivers of school drop-out.
“A girl who has been abused cannot concentrate in class, and many never return to school,” she said. “Safe houses provide stability, counselling and a bridge back to education. Without them, we are losing girls permanently.”
Private sector involvement is now seen as critical. According to the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF), corporate social responsibility in child protection remains limited, yet the economic cost of violence is high.
Studies estimate that violence against women and girls costs African economies up to two percent of GDP through lost productivity, health expenses and social services.
“Investing in safe houses is not charity; it is smart social investment,” said a social development expert, Mr Dominic Maganga. “Companies can support construction, skills training and education programmes within these centres.”
NGOs and faith-based organisations are also being urged to replicate the model in other regions. Currently, the number of safe houses is far below demand, particularly in rural areas where access to services is limited and harmful practices persist.
