Social workers urged to work in collaboration with different stakeholders to promote dignity and rights of people in the community

Participants pose for group photo together with Iringa Regional Administrative Secretary (RAS), Wamoja Ayub (in veil seated)   during a two-day academic symposium held in Iringa Region through the USAID-supported Community Health and Social Welfare System Strengthening (CHSS) Program in Tanzania. It was organized by Tanzania Association of Social Workers (TASWO) together with John Snow Incorporation (JSI) Tanzania. (Photo: Friday Simbaya)

Tanzanian Albinism Society (TAS) chairperson for Iringa Region, Helen Machibya speaking to journalists  on the sideling of a two-day academic symposium held in Iringa Region through the USAID-supported Community Health and Social Welfare System Strengthening (CHSS) Program in Tanzania. It was organized by Tanzania Association of Social Workers (TASWO) together with John Snow Incorporation (JSI) Tanzania. (Photo: Friday Simbaya)

By Friday Simbaya, Iringa

The Acting Commissioner for Social Welfare, Rabikira Mushi as congratulated the organizers for coming up with the theme that captures the challenges facing the community, particularly people with disabilities and stigma to people with albinism.

Mushi on behalf of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoHSW) made the statement yesterday during a two-day academic symposium held in Iringa Region through the USAID-supported Community Health and Social Welfare System Strengthening (CHSS) Program in Tanzania.

It was organized by Tanzania Association of Social Workers (TASWO) together with John Snow Incorporation (JSI) Tanzania.

The acting commissioner for social welfare said, “It is undisputable fact that the country is experiencing a number of social problems that needs social workers intervention.” 

He said that the increasing moral deterioration resulting to abduction, chopping of bodily parts and killing of people with albinism is among the high level of social injustice in our community.

Adding that the social problems require a broad understanding and exploration arising from what referred to as research based social work intervention.

“The challenging social problem requires adequate information which can be achieved through collective responsibility approach,” said the acting commissioner for social welfare.

However, the acting commissioner for social welfare said all people in the community have the responsibility to engage in the problem by joining hands with other stakeholders. 

He said that neither the police force nor attorney general can tackle the problem unless we join hands together to solve the problem.

“This is a critical area for social workers to intervene to promote social justice to the vulnerable and marginalized population groups,” he emphasized.

He urged social workers to work in collaboration with the traditional healers, the journalists, police force, the healthcare providers and others to promote dignity and rights of people in the community.

The conference was aimed at discussing issues and make deliberations that captures different dimension of human life.

Through the project, JSI has engaged the Tanzania Association of Social Workers (TASWO) as a key collaborator, and build on existing partnerships with government, academic and social welfare institutions, community-based organizations, and other partners. The Program will work in targeted communities throughout Iringa, Njombe, Singida, Dodoma, Tabora, Morogoro, Mtwara, Lindi, and Kilimanjaro Regions, as well as Zanzibar.

According to the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Hussein Kashindye from office of Director of the Criminal Investigative (DCI), the cases involving albinos over

ten years from 2006 to 2015 March this year were 56, out of which 43 cases involved the death of the albinos and 13 were injuries.

In all these events 12 suspects were sentenced to death and 10 others are in stage of the investigation. He said one of the factors holding back completion investigation is unable to get cooperation from the community what said constraint to efforts to catch criminals and adding that if citizens will disclosure the people involved albino killings will help to ending crimes. 

"We have worked hard to educate the public through the community policing where we have put police officers at ward level in order to work more closely the community this will reduce incidents of albino killings "said kashindye.

Speaking during the meeting Fredrick Sigala an activist from people with disabilities (SHIVYAWATA) and Helen Machibya who is the chairlady for Tanzanian Albinism Society (TAS) Iringa Region have said that there have been many challenges in the health sector that have been efforts of people with disabilities to access them.

They said that in many areas where health care provided the infrastructure is not friendly, especially the presence of tall buildings which does not have a specific method for people with disabilities.