Lucy Elias, an employee of our partner organization Kivulini in Tanzania, was arrested by the police this week: the parents of a 17-year-old girl accuse her of helping their daughter to escape from her family. The girl had sought help from Lucy Elias because she was being abused by her family.
March 8 is International Women’s Day. Some may argue that this day is no longer needed today. A recent event at our partner organization Kivulini in Tanzania proves that advocating for the rights of women and girls is just as necessary and important today as it was at the beginning of the 20th century when International Women’s Day was introduced: On March 4, Lucy Elias, who is a coordinator and trainer for the solution focussed approach (SFA) at Kivulini and supports young women and girls affected by violence, was arrested.
Family takes police action against Lucy
Reason: The parents of a 17-year-old girl accuse them of helping their daughter to escape from the family and of knowing where the girl is now. They reported Lucy Elias to the police, who in turn immediately arrested her and brought charges. The case may go to court in mid-March. Thanks to Kivulini’s good relations with the police gender desk, Lucy Elias has since been released on bail. However, she has been threatened and was therefore unable to return home for at least one night.
Lucy knew the girl’s problems from her own experience
According to Lucy Elias, the girl wrote to her in mid-February asking for help because she was being abused by her family. Lucy Elias promised to talk to her. However, the girl fled two weeks ago before a meeting took place. Lucy Elias knows from her own experience what the 17-year-old had told her about. As a young girl, she herself was regularly abused and humiliated by her stepfather. When she first came to Kivulini, she was very intimidated. Through Kivulini and SFA, she learned about her own abilities and strengths and developed self-confidence. She later completed the Youth2Youth program at terre des hommes schweiz and became an SFA instructor herself. Kivulini and terre des hommes schweiz will do everything they can to support Lucy Elias so that she and the 17-year-old girl can experience justice.
These events provide an impressive insight into the reality of Tanzania – in terms of gender roles and human rights. But they also show how courageously the young people and our partner organizations are acting.
