‘Commitment to women empowerment ironclad’
ZANZIBAR: PRESIDENT Hussein Mwinyi has assured that Zanzibar government remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring women have equal economic opportunities through strategic policies and empowerment programmes.
Speaking at the International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrations at Nyamanzi, Unguja West B District, President Mwinyi reaffirmed the government’s dedication to promoting women’s economic inclusion.
Zanzibar marked the event on March 6 ahead of today’s celebrations due to a busy national schedule. Dr Mwinyi highlighted the progress made through the Zanzibar Economic Empowerment Agency (ZEEA), revealing that 34,746 individuals have benefitted from the initiative, with women comprising 51.2 per cent of the recipients totalling 17,811 women.
“By December 2024, the government, through the Economic Empowerment Agency, had facilitated loans totalling 34.9bn/-, with 21bn/- (60 per cent) allocated specifically to women,” he said.
He described International Women’s Day as an important occasion to recognise women’s invaluable contributions to society, the economy, politics and national development.
He said: “This day offers us the chance to reflect on the progress made toward gender equality, acknowledge ongoing challenges such as gender-based violence, discrimination, unequal opportunities and inspire collective action to address these issues.”
President Mwinyi stressed that empowering women is essential for their full participation in economic activities.
“Economic empowerment for women means creating opportunities that foster self-sufficiency and development, helping to shield them from financial dependency,” he explained.
ALSO READ: Mwinyi stresses women empowerment
To accelerate the vision, Dr Mwinyi outlined key focus areas, including strengthening women’s empowerment platforms at regional, district and grassroots levels, establishing a structured leadership and management system for the said platforms and creating clear operational guidelines to maximise available opportunities for women.
He directed the Second Vice-President’s Office, alongside relevant ministries and government agencies, to collaborate in enhancing the effectiveness of these platforms to ensure they produce tangible results.
Moreover, Dr Mwinyi stressed the importance of establishing clear guidelines for setting up and managing the platforms, addressing potential challenges and creating operational policies that enhance their efficiency.
“All relevant institutions must work closely with the government to ensure the success of women’s empowerment programmes,” he urged.
The Zanzibar Second Vice-President (2VP) Hemed Suleiman Abdulla commended women for advocating for their rights, while the Minister for Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Ms Riziki Pembe Juma applauded various organisations, including international institutions, for their contributions to the celebration.
She urged women to seize economic and political opportunities, stressing that under strong leadership of President Samia Suluhu Hassan and Zanzibar President, Dr Mwinyi, there are more avenues for women to prosper.
