Advancing Safer Communities Across Tanzania
In 2026, the Jamii Salama Initiative (JSI) will scale a bold, collaborative movement to create safer public spaces, workplaces, and communities for women and girls in Tanzania. Led by Our Voices Against Harassment (OVAH Tanzania) in partnership with women’s rights organizations and key stakeholders, the initiative will challenge the normalization of sexual harassment, strengthen survivor-centered systems, and promote accountability through community action, media engagement, and policy advocacy.
Sexual harassment remains widespread in public transport, informal workplaces, markets, streets, and institutions. Women and girls continue to face catcalling, unwanted touching, intimidation, online abuse, and silence around reporting mechanisms. Jamii Salama exists to change this reality.
Our 2026 Strategic Approach
Throughout 2026, the initiative will implement integrated solutions designed to shift norms, influence systems, and build safer environments:
Train 50 women and 15 men in Kinondoni District as community champions on SGBV prevention, legal rights, reporting pathways, and leadership.
Expand the JSI network from 8 to 20 active women-led and youth-led organizations, strengthening collective feminist organizing.
Conduct outreach campaigns and community dialogues across three wards to engage women, men, and youth.
Deliver Gender Responsive Journalism Training to 15 journalists from television, radio, newspapers, and digital platforms.
Engage 10 media houses to improve survivor-centered, accurate, and rights-based reporting on SGBV.
Facilitate PSEAH capacity-building across 10 workplaces and institutions to strengthen accountability and zero tolerance for exploitation, abuse, and harassment.
Co-develop a Policy Paper on Safer Spaces for Women and Girls to influence institutional and public policy reforms.
Our Impact in 2026 So Far
Established safer public spaces through ongoing engagement with diverse stakeholders, including community members, institutions, transport actors, media, and local leaders.
Built a network of 20 organizations committed to advancing safer communities and providing continued support and resources for survivors. These organizations include Eagle Eye Foundation, FASAT, WiLDAF, C-SEMA, Amani Initiative, The Launch Pad Digital, YUNA Kairuki, Tai Impact, Kisura Pepea, IBET, BFA, Kaya Foundation, Focayo, WOYOMO, WOYOTA, Community For Change, Tandale Youth, One Voice Organization, and Wajiki.
Trained 15 journalists from radio, television, print, and digital media platforms on gender-responsive journalism, ethical reporting, and survivor-centered storytelling on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).
Influenced and championed institutional and national policies that promote safer public spaces and stronger accountability systems for women and girls in Tanzania.
Initiated the development of a policy paper titled “The Role of Institutional Policies in Addressing Harassment against Women and Girls in Public Spaces in Tanzania: A Case Study of Dar es Salaam.” The paper aims to generate evidence-based recommendations to strengthen institutional responses and policy action.
Key Highlights
On 27th March 2026, the Jamii Salama Initiative held its first quarterly partners meeting of the year, at CDEA Eco Sanaa Terrace, a vibrant gathering that brought together seasoned partners and 12 newly onboarded organisations united by a single purpose: creating safer public spaces for women and girls across Tanzania.
On 10th April 2026, the Jamii Salama Initiative by OVAH Tanzania conducted a one-day Gender Responsive Journalism training focused on ethical reporting and storytelling on SGBV (Sexual and Gender Based Violence) to 15 media professionals from Radios, Television, Newspapers, and Digital Platforms)
