ATE pushes for gender equality in workplaces

THE Association of Tanzania Employers (ATE) has challenged the companies and institutions in the country to invest in programmes that increase women’s skills and competence as efforts to promote gender equality in workplaces.

The remark was made on Thursday in Dar es Salaam by ATE Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Advocate Suzanne Ndomba during the launch of Cohort 9 of the Female Future Programme.

“In order to promote gender equality in workplaces and ensure women occupy various managerial positions…it is high time for companies and institutions to invest not only in Future Programme but also in other programmes that will enhance their   skills in various areas,” ATE CEO emphasized.

Regarding the launched programme, Adv Ndomba said the program aims at increasing women’s skills in three areas including Leadership, Rhetoric and Board Competence.

“This programme started in 2016 and was launched by President Samia Suluhu Hassan when she was serving as  Vice President, since then ATE has continued to operate this program with the aim of increasing women’s skills in  the three areas,” she added.

According to her since 2016, the programme has continued to grow to add so far up to now a total of eight phases with 65 women having already graduated.

“Today we have launched cohort 9 of the Female Future Programme which involves 73 women who have started training today (Thursday) from 22 companies in this country as well as individual participants,” she said.

According to her, the programme is executed in partnership with the Eastern and Southern African Management Institute (ESAMI) and is sponsored by the Norwegian government through the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO).

For his part, CRDB Bank Plc Director of Human Resources, Mr Godfrey Rutasingwa said that CRDB believes in the power of women adding that in implementing that every year they have been increasing the number of women participating in the program so that they can grow and hold various positions in their company.

“We have brought a total of 16 female participants to cohort 9 of the Female Future Programme launched today… unlike last year where we brought 12 women…as we have seen the benefits of this programme, we will continue to increase our participation,” Mr Rutasingwa added