ACKNOWLEDGEMENT - UiO

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I thank all who in one way or another contributed in the completion of this thesis. First, I give thanks to God for protection and ability to do work. I am so grateful to the Norwegian Quota scholarship scheme and the Faculty of Theology at the University of Oslo for making it possible for me to study here. I give deep thanks to the Professors and lecturers at the Intercontextual Theology programme, the librarians, and other workers of the faculty. My special and heartily thanks to my supervisor, Professor Jone Salomonsen who encouraged and directed me. Her challenges brought this work towards a completion. It is with her supervision that this work came into existence. For any faults I take full responsibility. I am also deeply thankful to my informants. Their names cannot be disclosed, but I want to acknowledge and appreciate their help and transparency during my research. Their information have helped me complete this thesis. I am also so thankful to my fellow students whose challenges and productive critics, especially at the Isegran seminars, have provided new ideas to the work. Furthermore, I am thankful to the ELCT-Morogoro Diocese in Tanzania for supporting me to pursue my studies here in Oslo. I also thank my family who encouraged me and prayed for me throughout the time of my research. This thesis is heartily dedicated to my mother who took the lead to heaven before the completion of this work. May the Almighty God richly bless all of you.

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ABSTRACT AND STRUCTURE The central problem investigated in this thesis is the role culture and church play in promoting gender inequality and prostitution. In doing this, the study has analyzed field data from Chalinze village in Tanzania. The thesis comprises six chapters. Chapter one has offered a general introduction of the study. It has explained the research problem. It has also delineated the key research questions, as well as the objectives and relevance of the study. The chapter also has discussed the methodological approach and theoretical framework. Chapter two describes the social context in which the problem of prostitution is investigated. This involves reflection on rituals and beliefs among the villagers. The chapter narrates and analyses how the teachings and practices in initiation rituals might be contributing to prostitution in Chalinze community. Chapter three discusses local perspectives on prostitution, and the way local people handle the problem of prostitution. In doing so, the chapter explores how traditional doctors are important figures in the issue of prostitution. Chapter four focuses on views from church leaders about prostitution. In chapter five, different feminist notions on prostitution are discussed and related to Chalinze context. The chapter also discusses viable solutions for dealing with the problem of prostitution in Chalinze. The conclusion in chapter six summarizes what lessons have been learnt.

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ABBREVIATIONS

The following are the full meaning of the abbreviation used in the thesis.

COYOTE Call Off Your Tired Ethics.

ELCT-MGD Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, Morogoro Diocese

HIV/AIDS Human Immunodeficiency Virus/ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

n.p

no page

STD

Sexually Transmitted Disease

TACAIDS Tanzania Commission for AIDS

TAMWA Tanzania Media Women's Association

TANERELA Tanzania Network of Religious Leaders Living With or Personally Affected by HIV and AIDS

TGNP

Tanzania Gender Networking Program

USAID

United States Agency for International Development

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ABSTRACT AND STRUCTURE ABBREVIATIONS

CONTENT

1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................. 7

1.1 RESEARCH PROBLEM ............................................................................................................................... 7

Encounter with Sikitu, a Prostitute ...................................................................................................................8

1.2 PRESEARCH BACKGROUND

...........................................................................................10

1.3 AIMS AND RELEVANCE OF THE STUDY ...............................................................................................14

1.4 AREA OF STUDY: CHALINZE ... ....... .... ....................... .........................................................................15

1.5 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................................17

1.5.1 METHODS ..................................................................................................................................................17

1.5.2 FIELDWORK ..............................................................................................................................................18

1.5.3 ETHICAL CONSIDERATION ..................................................................................................................20

1.6 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK .................................................................................................................21

2 SOCIO-CULTURAL CONTEXT AND PROSTITUTION IN CHALINZE ............................................25 2.1 MALE DOMINANCE IN THE MATRILINEAL SOCIETY .......................................................................25 2.2 SOCIO-ECONOMIC SITUATION OF WOMEN OF CHALINZE .............................................................26 2.3 RELIGIONS, BELIEF AND RITUALS IN CHALINZE COMMUNITY ....................................................28 2.3.1 WOMEN IN CHURCH .................................................................................................................................28 2.3.2 RITUALS AND BELIEFS .............................................................................................................................29

Girls Initiation Rite in Chalinze ....................................................................................................................30 Effects of Girls Initiation Rite..........................................................................................................................33

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2.4 IMAGE OF A WOMAN IN CHALINZE COMMUNITY ...........................................................................36 Son Preference in Chalinze and its Effects ....................................................................................................36

2.5 GENDER RELATIONS IN CHALINZE COMMUNITY ...........................................................................37 Blocked Opportunities to Women ..................................................................................................................39

2.6 MORAL EXPECTATIONS OF WOMEN ......................................................................................................41 2.7 SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................................................42

3 PROSTITUTION IN CHALINZE: TRADITIONAL UNDERSTANDING AND DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM ...................................................................................................................43

3.1 POVERTY, PROSTITUTION AND TRADITIONAL DOCTORS ............................................................43 3.1.1 PROSTITUTION AND THE ANCESTORS .................................................................................................43 3.1.2 POVERTY AND TRADITIONAL DOCTORS .............................................................................................44

Traditional Doctors conditions:.......................................................................................................................46 Appeasing the Ancestors ................................................................................................................................46 Demanding Sexual Intercourse .......................................................................................................................46 3.2 TRADITIONAL APPROACHES TO SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF PROSTITUTION ...........................49 Traditional Doctors and Women in Chalinze ................................................................................................50 3.3 CRUEL ACTS AGAINST WOMEN AND ITS CONTIBUTION TO PROSTITUTION ............................. .51 3.3.1 RAPING AND SEXUAL ABUSE ...............................................................................................................51 3.3.2 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE .............................................................................................................................53 3.3.3 UNDERPAID AND SEXUAL ABUSED JOBS ........................................................................................54 3.3.4 CHILDLESS IN MARRIAGE ......................................................................................................................54 3.4 THE STRUGGLES OF PROSTITUTES IN THE UNCERTAIN ENVIRONMENTS...................................55 3.5 SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................................57

4 CHURCH UNDERSTANDING OF PRSOSTITUTIO.................................................................................. 58

4.1 RELIGION AND PATRIARCH ...................................................................................................................58

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