Msichana Initiative is a registered non-governmental organisation, established to advocate for the girl child’s right to education in Tanzania. This includes addressing and finding solution for all key challenge that may limit girl child’s right to education. The initiative seeks to ensure this inherent right is given to all human beings without due regard to gender, discrimination, economic conditions, cultural, social and political justification.  Msichana Initiative aims to impact the lives of young girls and women between the ages of 10 -25.

The organisational vision is to create a society with empowered girls, who are able to realise their full potential through advocating for their right to education. In 2017 Msichana through their director Rebeca Gyumi won a land mark legal case to raise the minimum of marriage to 18.

As a result of the persistent problem of Child Marriage in Tanzania -particularly in rural areas- many young girls are denied their right to education and forced to get married at a very tender age (below 18 years).  One of the reasons child marriage practices persist is due to a legal  loophole that permits these practices. Thus far the law has not been amended as ordered by the High Court of Tanzania in its judgment made following the petition filed by Msichana Initiative through its Executive Director Ms. Rebeca Gyumi.

The petition sought to bring changes into the Law of Marriage Act of 1971 by amending sections 13 and 17 of this Act. In this case, the High Court of Tanzania had ordered the government to change the law within 1 year (July 2016 - July 2017), however the government has appealed the case through the Court of Appeal

As part of the Voice project Msichana intends to lobby the responsible Ministries to reinforce the amendments of section 13 and 17 of the Law of Marriage Act.  In addition the very good evidence Msichana presented during the legal proceedings will be used as case law or jurisprudence in the current child marriage cases. However, Msichana has not been able to strategically popularise it to organisations that are pursuing cases for child protection. This project allows them to do so.