Community radio stations in Zanzibar, Tanzania, have emerged as powerful platforms for raising awareness and driving action to prevent and respond to gender-based violence (GBV), by disseminating monthly verified GBV data produced thanks to a UN Women collaboration with the Zanzibar Office of the Chief Government Statistician (OCGS) under the Women Count programme.
Every month since 2020, OCGS has released monthly GBV data through press briefings for media, providing an overview of the number of cases reported to the police. This includes a breakdown by district, age group and type of violence (assault, rape, slander, abduction, sodomy, etc.). In 2024, these reports also began tracking cases involving persons with disabilities, prosecution rates and convictions – data the Vice-President’s Office in Zanzibar says it plans to use for its programming.
Since mid-2024, Tumbatu FM – a community radio station with more than 200,000 listeners in Kaskazini district, northern Zanzibar – has also been incorporating data from the monthly GBV data release into its news programmes and talk shows to raise awareness and encourage survivors to report cases.
“We share the data because it is so important, and adds more weight to these discussions, encouraging listeners to not only engage in discussions but also seek solutions,” says Juma Haji Juma, a Tumbatu FM radio presenter.
And the increased awareness has resulted in increased reports to police. In 2024, 1,809 GBV cases were reported across Zanzibar – a 28% increase since 2020.
Call-ins during radio programmes also indicate that community members are now more informed about how and where to report GBV.
“Before, I didn’t know where to report cases of violence. Now, I have the information and confidence to help others in my community do the same,” says Fatma Haji Silima, a regular listener of Tumbatu FM.
These data are also informing interventions under the National Plan of Action to End Violence against Women and Children.
“Our Ministry has been using GBV data for community sensitization,” explains Siti Ali, Director of Gender at the Zanzibar Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Elders and Children. “We also ensure that the data [are] shared with oversight committees and key grass-roots actors to support and enhance their work.”
These timely, disaggregated data are being used by policymakers, service-providers and local authorities to develop targeted responses and strategies.
For example, Zanzibar has established 12 one-stop centres in district and regional hospitals, five of them in 2024. Every district now has a gender desk and one-stop centre comprising counselling as well as health services and legal aid. And where the monthly GBV data releases show an uptick in incidence, additional surge support is being provided in identified hotspots – such as Mjini, Unguja and Pemba.
Gender data also inform yearly budget motions in Parliament, advocating for more resources for the police to combat GBV. The data have also been instrumental in engaging the private sector to contribute resources, such as motorcycles for regular patrols and support for the construction of additional police posts to boost security.
“Since about 2021, there has been a notable increase in the amount and variety of gender data that is available,” said Inspector Said at Zanzibar Police Headquarters’ Statistics Unit. “The partnership between OCGS and UN Women has contributed to this increase and also helped members of the Police Service to have a broader understanding of GBV.”
Inspector Said adds that the monthly media releases and increased survivor reporting as a result of greater community awareness also contributed to the decision to set up a special court for women and children in 2021.
Gender data on GBV have also informed specialized training for police in Tanzania, including on handling GBV survivors in 2024. Additional police gender desks for confidential reporting of GBV cases were also established in 2024, ensuring that survivors have a safe space where they can be received in a sensitive manner in their quest for justice.
In Tumbatu island, GBV was also included as a standing agenda item in school board meetings in 2024. Zanzibar’s District GBV Committee and Defense and Security Committee also regularly discuss the monthly GBV statistics.
The Tanzania Media Women Association uses these GBV data in its advocacy, releasing six press releases in 2024 alone. It also uses the data in campaigns to raise community awareness and to plan long-term interventions.
As of 2024, Kati Radio, a youth-led station in the central district of Zanzibar, has also been using the data to increase dialogue around GBV and engage with experts and listeners on how to report GBV and access justice and support services.
“We try to go beyond just sharing the statistics by challenging misconceptions, highlighting services and encouraging action,” says Amina Mohamed, a Kati Radio presenter, stating that their programmes include expert interviews, call-ins from listeners and active discussions on how to report cases of violence and abuse. “This helps demystify GBV and gives people the confidence to speak out.”
As such, community radio stations in Zanzibar are turning numbers into narratives, awareness into action, and listeners into advocates for change.
