CENTRED on progress made on implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, Tanzania is performing highly towards gender parity, Vice-President, Ms Samia Suluhu Hassan stated on Sunday.
Presiding over national commemoration of the International Women’s Day in Simiyu Region, the Vice-President underscored the great strides in the promotion and empowerment of women in the country over the past few decades.
The VP highlighted the various initiatives taken by the government to promote gender equality in all spheres including improving education, health, decision making, human and women’s rights and eradicating gender based violence (GBV) and poverty.
“Such clearly demonstrates that issues pertaining to gender equality are important from the family to the national level, it is thus crucial to incorporate the matter in the government development planning,” said Ms Hassan.
Women empowerment and poverty eradication are other initiatives geared towards lifting their status.
Financial interventions include issuance of low interest rate loans, four per cent loan scheme by all councils countrywide and through the poverty alleviation programme coordinated by the Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF).
According to the vice-president, the country has been in the forefront in implementing the 1995 Beijing Declaration which is in line with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2063.
Among initiatives taken by the government include promoting equality in education and training through the fee-free education policy which has helped to increase the enrolment rate of students in primary and secondary education.
The VP urged parents and guardians to make use of the opportunity to send their children to school – likewise those depriving their children of the opportunity, the law should take its course.
Women empowerment and poverty eradication are other initiatives geared towards lifting their status.
Financial interventions include issuance of low interest rate loans, four per cent loan scheme by all councils countrywide and through the poverty alleviation programme coordinated by the Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF).
Under the schemes and through the 2018 reforms in the Finance Act, about 19,874 women benefited with the non-interest loans.
Ms Hassan showed dissatisfaction on the nature of issuing the loans, noting that the goal is to help the women excel and not the big number who acquire the loans.
Equally, the government has encouraged commercial banks to establish special desks to assist women in getting low interest rate loans.
The vice-president noted that women’s fight against poverty was undermined by the fact that most of them spent a lot of time accessing basic services such as water and health service because they were located far from their whereabouts.
In dealing with water woes facing many women in the country, the government has been working hard to improve water supply across the country.
Over the past few years, the government has executed major water projects across Lake Victoria, Tanganyika and Nyasa.
Other areas that have received water projects are Mwanga, Same and Arusha in the Northern regions and Dar es Salaam, Kisarawe and Chalinze.
The rest are Manyara and Kigoma regions, noting that efforts were on course to tackle water challenges in Simiyu Region, said Ms Hassan.
The VP also underscored the initiatives to improve access to antaenatal and neonatal services in the country, including constructing over 350 new health centres for people to access health services at a close proximity.
In the area of leadership, she said Tanzania ranks high in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), East African Community (EAC) in women representation in the Parliament and top leadership in the ministries.
“Currently, we have 126 women (36.7 per cent) in the Parliament of Tanzania above the 30 per cent threshold in the SADC.
“Also, women speakers the likes of Mama Anna Makinda, Deputy Speakers are Ms Mgeni Juma (Zanzibar House of Representatives) and Ms Tulia Ackson,” she noted.
Thus, urged women with capabilities to vie for different posts in the forthcoming elections and to vote for fellow women to get the posts.
On the other hand, the VP also encouraged expectant mothers to visit antenatal clinic four times during pregnancy and after giving birth for their wellbeing.
“Much has the country managed to reduce the problem of infant mortality rate, the challenge lies in deaths of mothers…efforts are being taken to find a solution,” added the VP.
Ms Samia had earlier delivered a message from President John Magufuli which stated “In marking this important day for women, I would like to applaud all the women in the world particularly in Tanzania and all initiatives undertaken by past government administrations.
Although we have a long way to go, the government is committed to use all its powers in continuing to promote human and women’s rights.”
