UNICEF-funded study shows extent of violence against children in Tanzania

According to a study published Tuesday by Muhimbili University in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in collaboration with the CDC and funded by UNICEF, "nearly three out of every 10 girls and nearly three out of every 20 boys in Tanzania claim to have experienced sexual violence," the Guardian's "Poverty Matters Blog" reports. The blog says it is "the first time an African country … has subjected itself to international scrutiny of the rates of mental, physical and sexual violence suffered by girls and boys, and their impact."

"The report's authors say people exposed to any form of violence in childhood are more likely to show health, emotional and behavioral problems in adolescence and adulthood. These include poor physical health, aggression, delinquency, substance abuse, poor academic performance, anxiety and reduced self-esteem," according to the blog. Andrew Brooks, chief of child protection in Tanzania for UNICEF, said that the study needed follow-up, and Jeanne Ndyetabura, assistant commissioner for social welfare in Tanzania's Ministry of Health, "said the study would be acted upon," the blog reports (Smith, 8/9).