Tanzania’s Commitment to Gender Equality: Legal Reforms and Beijing Commitments at CSW69

 

Dr. Dorothy Gwajima, Minister for Community Development, Gender, Women, and Special Groups, emphasized that Tanzania has made significant strides in improving its legal framework to protect women, girls, and children. 

She pointed out that various laws have been strengthened, including the Legal Aid Act, the Cybercrime Act, and the Child Protection Act. These legal reforms are designed to safeguard women’s rights and ensure a protective environment for vulnerable groups. 

Additionally, Tanzania has introduced electoral laws aimed at combating violence against women during elections, ensuring that all political parties adhere to these standards.

Dr. Gwajima highlighted these developments during her official statement at the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) in New York on March 13, 2025. In her speech, she also referred to Tanzania’s ongoing efforts to implement the Beijing Platform for Action, showing the country's commitment to gender equality and women's empowerment.

She noted that Tanzania has made remarkable progress in increasing the number of women in leadership roles. “Women have continued to rise to prominent positions, with President Samia Suluhu Hassan being a clear example of this progress,” Dr. Gwajima said. The country has seen a significant increase in female ministers, parliamentarians, judges, ambassadors, and local government officials.

Furthermore, Dr. Gwajima acknowledged the success of female entrepreneurs in Tanzania, with over 743.7 billion Tanzanian Shillings in soft loans being provided to entrepreneurs, 52% of which have benefited women. In Zanzibar, 31.6 billion Shillings in soft loans were given, with 60% allocated to women.

She also highlighted key advancements in education and health, noting that Tanzania has achieved gender parity in primary school enrollment, with equal numbers of girls and boys attending school. In the area of maternal health, Tanzania has made significant strides, with maternal mortality decreasing substantially from 556 to 104 deaths per 100,000 live births.

Dr. Gwajima further discussed Tanzania's efforts under the Africa Women and Clean Cooking Energy Program, which was launched at COP28 under the leadership of President Samia Suluhu Hassan. The program aims to ensure that 80% of Tanzanians use clean cooking energy by 2034, contributing to both women's empowerment and environmental sustainability.

Through these various initiatives and reforms, Tanzania continues to demonstrate its dedication to the principles set forth in the Beijing Platform for Action, striving to create a more equal and inclusive society for women and girls.