Date of publication:

05/27/2025

United Republic of Tanzania (the)

Do domestic laws and policies prioritize access to national social care services for unaccompanied and separated children, victims of trafficking in persons, survivors of gender-based violence, or other groups with specific needs and vulnerabilities?

ANALYSIS

Assessment by population

Assessment by population
Refugees
Asylum-seekers
Analysis

Tanzania has demonstrated commitment to protecting vulnerable populations, including unaccompanied and separated children, victims of trafficking, and survivors of GBV. The government has enacted laws and developed policies to address these issues, focusing on prevention, protection, and rehabilitation. Notably, the National Guidelines for the Establishment and Management of Safe Houses were developed to provide standardized procedures for assisting victims and survivors. These guidelines aim to ensure that safe houses offer comprehensive services, including shelter, medical care, counseling, and legal assistance. 

    LAW & POLICY

    Related provisions of domestic law or policy

    The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act

    Legal provision

    Section 4.1 - Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons

    A person commits an offence of trafficking in person if that person - (a) recruits, transports, transfers, harbors, provides or receives a person by any means, including those done under the pretext of domestic or overseas employment, training or apprenticeship, for the( of prostitution, pornography, sexual exploitation, forced labour; slavery, involuntary servitude or debt bondage; (b) introduces or matches a person to a foreign national for marriage for the of acquiring, buying, offering, selling or trading the person in order that person be engaged in prostitution, pornography, sexual exploitation, forced labour, slavery, involuntary servitude or debt bondage; (c) offers or contracts marriage, real or simulated, for the purpose of acquiring, buying, offering, selling or trading a person in order that person be engaged in prostitution, pornography, sexual exploitation, forced labour or slavery, involuntary servitude or debt bondage; (d) undertakes or organizes sex tourism or sexual exploitation; (e) maintains or hires a person to engage in prostitution or pornography; (0 adopts or facilitates the adoption of persons for the purpose of prostitution, pornography, sexua lexploitation, forced-labour and slavery, involuntary servitude or debt bondage; (g) recruits, hires, adopts, transports or abducts - (i) a person, by means of threat or use of force, fraud, deceit, violence ,coercion or intimidation for the purpose of removal or sale of organs of the person; or a child or a disabled person for the purposes of engaging the child or the disabled person in armed activities.

    Section 18.1 - Protection and Assistance to Victims of Trafficking

    The Minister shall, in consultation with the Minister responsible for social welfare services, put in place appropriate mechanisms to ensure the provision of basic material support, appropriate housing, counseling and information, medical, psychological and legal assistance to victims of trafficking in persons.

    The Law of the Child Act

    Legal provision

    Section 16 - Child in Need of Care and Protection

    For the purposes of this Act, a child is in need of care and protection if the child— (a) has been abandoned or is without a parent or guardian; (b) has been neglected or ill-treated by the person who has the care and custody of the child; (c) has a parent or guardian who is unfit or unable to exercise care and guardianship; (d) is falling into bad associations; (e) is exposed to domestic violence; or (f) is engaged in any work likely to harm the health, education, or mental, physical, or moral development of the child.

    The National Guidelines for the Establishment and Management of Safe Houses

    Legal provision

    Section 2.2 - Services Provided

    Safe Houses shall provide temporary shelter, food, clothing, medical care, psychosocial support, legal aid, and facilitation for reintegration.