Before signing the Geneva Consensus Declaration, Tanzania must protect its progress on sexual reproductive health

DAR ES SALAAM: Tanzania stands at an important policy crossroads. As discussions continue around the possibility of joining the Geneva Consensus Declaration (GCD), the decision should be guided by one overriding principle: safeguarding the health, wellbeing and future of Tanzanian families. Any international commitment should reinforce, not undermine the country’s progress.

The Geneva Consensus Declaration, launched in 2020, is a political declaration that promotes four broad principles: improving women’s health, protecting human life, strengthening the family as the natural and fundamental unit of society, and affirming national sovereignty in determining laws and policies concerning life and family.

While the declaration is not legally binding, it carries significant political weight and has the potential to influence future policy discussions and international engagement.

At the same time, Africa is witnessing growing discussions around the Draft African Charter on Family, Sovereignty and Values, developed through the Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family Values and Sovereignty by African parliamentarians and government representatives. The proposed Charter seeks to affirm African cultural values, strengthen the institution of the family, safeguard national sovereignty, and promote social cohesion across the continent.

The emergence of these initiatives has generated an important conversation across Africa. Too often, the debate is presented as a choice between protecting African values and protecting human rights. In reality, these objectives should not be viewed as competing priorities. The real challenge is ensuring that policies preserve Africa’s cultural identity while also protecting the health, dignity, and wellbeing of women, children, and families.

Tanzania has long valued strong families, respect for culture, religious freedom and community solidarity. These principles are deeply rooted in our Constitution, traditions and national identity. At the same time, the country has made substantial progress in improving maternal health, expanding access to sexual reproductive health services, promoting gender equality, reducing preventable maternal deaths and protecting the rights and wellbeing of children and young people.

Protecting African family values should therefore go hand in hand with protecting the health of families. Healthy mothers are the foundation of healthy families. Healthy adolescents become productive adults. Communities flourish when women, men and young people have access to quality healthcare, accurate health information and services that enable them to plan their families and protect their wellbeing. These are not foreign values, they are investments in stronger African families and stronger nations.

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Tanzania’s progress demonstrates what sustained political commitment can achieve. According to World Health Organization estimates, the country’s maternal mortality ratio has declined significantly over the past two decades as a result of investments in skilled birth attendance, emergency obstetric and newborn care, family planning, stronger referral systems, maternal death surveillance and broader improvements in the health system. Every maternal death prevented represents a family kept together, children who continue to grow up with their mothers and communities that remain stronger and more resilient.

Despite this progress, important challenges remain. Many women and adolescent girls, particularly in rural and underserved communities, continue to face barriers to accessing quality sexual and reproductive health services. Family planning remains one of the most effective public health interventions, enabling women and couples to make informed decisions about the timing and spacing of pregnancies, reducing unintended pregnancies, improving maternal and child health outcomes and contributing to stronger, healthier families.

As Tanzania considers whether to join the Geneva Consensus Declaration, it is essential to ask whether doing so will strengthen or complicate the country’s ongoing efforts to improve health outcomes and uphold its commitments under regional and international frameworks, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Maputo Protocol. Tanzania has demonstrated that it is possible to uphold African values while advancing policies that save lives, promote dignity and strengthen families.

Before taking such step, Tanzania should undertake broad, transparent and evidence-based national consultations involving government institutions, Parliament, legal experts, healthcare professionals, civil society, women’s organisations, youth representatives, faith leaders and other stakeholders. Decisions that have long-term implications for public health and national development should reflect the voices and aspirations of all Tanzanians.

The ultimate question is not whether Tanzania values family, culture, or sovereignty, these principles are already deeply embedded in our national identity.

The question is whether any international declaration will strengthen the country’s ability to protect the health, dignity and future of every Tanzanian family. Before signing the Geneva Consensus Declaration, Tanzania deserves an open, inclusive and evidence-based national conversation that ensures both African values and the health of our people remain at the centre of national decision-making.