Our Voices Against Harassment (OVAH TANZANIA)

Our Voices Against Harassment is a non-profit organization based in Tanzania with the registration number 00NGO/R/2053 dedicated to ending violence against women and girls and creating a gender-just and violence-free society. We raise awareness about VAWG in our societies, promote the culture of reporting, and work to eliminate negative social norms that perpetuate violence against women and girls. Our mission is to ensure the protection of children, youth, and women by combating sexual violence and empowering them to realize their rights and full potential. Our Interventions Focus: Awareness and Advocacy about Sexual and Gender-based Violence to make the public aware of the scope and nature of the issue. Actions and Support Interventions to enable comprehensive response and prevention of Sexual Violence cases and provide holistic support services for the survivors of sexual violence. Prevention and Empowerment-based approaches targeted to women and children - the most affected with Sexual and Gender-based Violence. To date, OVAH has implemented Sexual Violence Awareness and Prevention Workshops in four regions of Tanzania, including Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Iringa, and Mwanza. We have reached 7,100 children and women in 47 schools, teaching them about different forms of gender-based violence, signs to identify potential perpetrators, reporting mechanisms, and resources for survivors. We have also equipped 1,749 girls with Empowerment Self-Defense (ESD) and provided 28 survivors of sexual violence in Dar es Salaam, Bukoba, Mwanza and Iringa with psychological and legal support. Our animation has reached more than 300,000 people through social media, physical workshops, and distribution partnerships with other organizations.