Tanzania: Young people and local communities at centre of International Women’s Day celebrations

The Southern Africa Gender Protocol Alliance Secretariat this March joined the Tanzania Gender Networking Programme (TGNP) now Alliance focal point in Tanzania, to commemorate International Women’s Day on 7 March. Over 300 representatives including young girls, from the Network’s member organisations from across the country attended the commemorations held at the TGNP grounds in Dar es Salaam. This took place at a time TGNP has just signed an MOU with the Alliance Secretariat.

In her opening remarks, TGNP acting executive-director Lillian Liundi said the 2012 theme for International Women’s Day, “Connecting girls inspiring futures’ is important as communities will be advised to prepare the future women against any form of violence”.

“We hope to discuss a number of issues… but most importantly is how women can contribute their ideas in the on-going constitutional reforms,” she added.

Liundi reiterated that is need for more effort to ensure that gender violence is eradicated in Tanzania.

Lucia Makamure, Alliance Programme Officer used the opportunity to raise awareness on the SADC Gender Protocol key targets. She shared that it was imperative for citizens to use instruments that governments have committed to hold them accountable. A number of participants scored the Tanzania’s government based on their perception of the country’s progress towards meeting the 28 targets in the Gender Protocol. Most of the people attending were not aware of the gender regional and international instruments and it is imperative that activists continue to mount public awareness campaigns.

Gender activists attending urged government to ensure equal allocation of resources between men and women as they felt that girls in communities have not been treated as equal to boys.

Dr Diana Mwiru from GTI Centre for Feminist Leadership underscored how girls are being given fewer education opportunities than boys.

She said there were a number of factors thatundermine the struggle towards achieving gender equality and contribute to poverty among women. For example she lamented the poor service delivery which results in lack of fulfilment of their basic needs. Women are also subject to cultural practices such as circumcision rites. Lack of education among young girls has contributed to their vulnerability to gender based violence.

“Girls must be educated for them to be able to protect themselves,” she added.