On Tuesday 19 September, a letter from the health ministry was leaked on Twitter. It disclosed that the government had directed its development partner USAID and other organizations to suspend all advertising and broadcasts that promoted family planning. It came just a few days after President John Magufuli spoke out against birth control in an upcountry rally.
The directive is the latest example of the government’s attempts to meddle with its citizens’ reproductive and social rights. One malicious move in 2016, aimed at curbing homosexuality, banned the import of water-based lubricants being accessed by NGOs that work with gay men to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.
