Tanzania Urges Government Officials to Accelerate Women's Economic Empowerment Agenda

The government has called upon Directors of Policy and Planning and Gender Desks Coordinators within all ministries to intensify efforts towards advancing the agenda of women's economic empowerment, an area prioritized by the country in the Generation Equality Forum framework.

Speaking separately, the Minister of Community Development, Gender, Women, and Children, Dr. Dorothy Gwajima, and the Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism, Angela Kairuki, who also chairs the Equality Generation Advisory Committee, urged these officials to organize and ensure timely reporting of implemented interventions within their sectors.

During the opening of a workshop on the implementation of the Generation Equality Forum Program for these Coordinators on February 29, 2024, in Dodoma, Minister Dr. Gwajima emphasized the need for these Directors to identify commitment areas relevant to their sectors and coordinate implemented interventions while providing timely reports.

She urged them to recognize stakeholders within their areas and the interventions they are implementing, aiming to have positive outcome reports for their sectors and utilize existing policies and guidelines effectively.

"I acknowledge that each Ministry has appointed a Program Coordinator within its area and tasked them with overseeing the implementation. I have confidence in you to fulfill your duties efficiently so that the government under the leadership of Her Excellency President Samia Suluhu Hassan continues to impact citizens economically and shine internationally as promised," reiterated Minister Dr. Gwajima.

On her part, Angela Kairuki, participating in the meeting via phone while on official duty in the Tanga region, emphasized the importance of assessing the progress made since the country ratified the Economic Rights and Equality area in 2021, with only two years left for completion. She urged adequate budget allocation for gender-related interventions and timely submission of implementation reports by May to assess progress.

Chairperson of the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Development and Social Welfare, Fatuma Towfiq, in her remarks, stated that it's time for the Committee to demand all Ministries to present their reports for evaluation, 20 years after the 1995 Beijing Conference, in which Tanzania participated.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Seif Shekalaghe, highlighted that the Ministry of Community Development is responsible for coordinating gender activities for all Ministries, but its effectiveness depends on the performance of sector representatives and report submissions. Thus, for the Ministry to provide comprehensive reports, each Ministry must submit timely information.

Tanzania pledged Country Commitments, with President Samia Suluhu Hassan vowing to lead in the implementation of the Second Pillar on Economic Rights and Equality at the International Generation Equality Forum in Paris, France, in 2021.