The Role of Police Gender Desk in Fighting Gender-Based Violence in Tanzania, a Reflection from Dar es Salaam Region

The study assessed the role of the Police Gender Desk (PGD) in fighting gender-based violence (GBV) amidst increased cases of GBV in Dar es Salaam region, Tanzania. Both quantitative and qualitative techniques were used where survey, interview, focus group discussion, and documentary review were used as key data collection methods. A total of 70 respondents who are police officers working at PGD were surveyed. The key findings show that common dominating GBV cases that are reported at PGD include battering (22%), family/children neglect (21%), sexual abuse, harassment, and exploitation (17%), property grabbing (16%), manipulation and shameful acts (8%), economic exploitation (7%), psychological torture (5%), and femicide (2%). Moreover, the key challenges reported to face PGD in fighting GBV include; delays in reporting cases (22%), premature withdraw of cases (15%), difficulty in gathering evidence (12%), inadequate professional training (9%), reluctance of victims to open up (10%), limited robust equipment’s (7%), lack of special rooms (8%) etc. The study recommends some improvement of the PGD by fulfilling all the highlighted challenges including provision of technical support and training, improving PGD infrastructure, learning and understanding gender norms that increase GBV, creating awareness among community members on the role of PGD, and fostering peace and justice when dealing with GBV cases for enhancing the sense of equality and community development in the country.