Lucy Elias, a staff member of our partner organisation Kivulini in Tanzania, was arrested by the police this week: The parents of a 17-year-old girl accuse her of helping her daughter to escape from the family. The girl had sought help from Lucy Elias because she is abused by her family.
March 8 is International Women's Day. Some may argue that this day is no longer needed today. A current event at our partner organisation Kivulini in Tanzania proves that the commitment to 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, Kivulini's coordinator and trainer for the solution-oriented approach, who 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 her of having supported her daughter in her escape from the family and of knowing where the girl is now. They reported Lucy Elias to the police, who immediately arrested her and charged her. The case may go to trial in mid-March. Thanks to Kivulini's good relations with the police gender desk, Lucy Elias has meanwhile been released on bail. However, she has been threatened and therefore could not go home for at least one night.
Lucy knows the girl's problems from personal 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 had promised to talk to her. But the girl fled two weeks ago before a meeting took place. Lucy Elias knows from personal experience what the 17-year-old girl told her about. Even as a young girl she 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. Later, she completed the Youth2Youth program of terre des hommes schweiz and became an SFA instructor herself. Kivulini and terre des hommes schweiz will do everything in their power to support Lucy Elias so that she and the 17-year-old girl can experience justice.
These events give 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 organisations are acting.
