Of gender justice training and delegates falling in love with TZ

THEY came from various parts of the world, with some crossing oceans, lakes and what have you just to attend a week long capacity building session on advocacy for gender justice in Tanzania.

What stood out however was not the capacity session alone, but rather the cultural diversities which were in the room and the fact that each country faced the similar challenges in regard to girls and women’s rights.

TGNP in collaboration with the COADY Institute of Canada had convened us all, during the weeklong session with participants to the workshop from Bangladesh, Haiti, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, India and Tanzania getting the platform to share experience and to reactivate advocacy interventions.

Speaking during the first day of the session, on October 24, 2022, TGNP Board Chairperson Ngwa’za Kamata spoke on what it meant for Tanzania to have a female president, saying that symbolically, it helps to prove wrong those with perceptions that women can never be Heads of State.

During the weeklong discussions, each of the participating countries shared challenges which were so similar with what is seen in Tanzania such as girls being married off at a younger age, women in rural areas toiling in farms with men reaping dividends during harvest where they collected all the cash.

Among activities conducted during the week-long session was a field visit to Salanda, a knowledge centre in Kimara Suka where group members had managed to convert a garbage bin to a vegetable garden for sale. Speaking during his pre

sentation on advocacy, Julien Landry from COADY Institute of Canada stressed upon the need for activists to mind their communication during their advocacy campaigns.

The various types of advocacy were taught where according to Landry, organizational advocacy was critical for an institution as it entailed doing it for a larger group for the benefit of the society specifically seeking change in power relations.

On the other hand, advocacy for the people tend to take more time as it normally requires capacity building for changes to take place, and this reminds how long some campaigners in Tanzania have been campaigning against female genital mutilation over the years, yet the practise still goes amid little by little reduction in terms of percentage.

The weeklong session helped us all to learn on feminist global change leadership with various challenges which faced those who tried to play the role of feminism.

Different views were shared on stigma against any person who declared in public being a feminist with one saying she had been a victim of finger pointing that those involved especially women can never get married due to their stance.

What most readers need to know now and this is according to the expert on feminism from India, Sarika Sinha, feminism is not against men, but all systems and ideologies of male privilege, nor is it against children but it stands for all people’s rights.

Sarika admits that the world lives in a patriarchal society and the minute one wants to change the perception quo it becomes radical, especially for women where men are not used to women becoming in the limelight.

“Across the globe people work for feminism.In some of the societies, a man who doesn’t work is stigmatized and has no voice,” says Sarika.

According to Sarika, women and girls around the globe face more challenges than their male counterparts as domestic violence is more visible now, as 7 out of 10 women are faced with some sort of violence most of which are intimate partner violence. Economically she says, globally, women only make 77 cents for every dollar earned by men where the wage gap is larger for women with children.

The most fascinating thing to learn was the fact that the world was once under a matrilineal and not patriarchal system where various Goddesses were worshipped contrary to what we see today.

The rising human populations, struggle over land and resources as well as recognition of male role in reproduction is what has seen the world go back to the patriarchy system,” says Sarika.

All in all as we struggle for equality and feminism, Sarika reminds feminists to understand the core values of feminism as non discrimination, respectful relationships, inclusive, equitable and sustainable and non –violence, peace, safety and security. Needless to say, the session was not only classroom stuff and field visit but entailed some shopping spree where the group made a substantial contribution to the economy in Dar.

Most delegates went to the shops where they bought traditional dresses, wraps, rice with aroma and sandals just to mention a few of course they also learnt some few Swahili words too.

Those interested to know how we ended our week long, well just know that we made sure our dear international delegates ate our nyama choma, drank our local wine and beers and danced the night away in one of the most colourful new joints in town along the Indian Ocean called Lost Beach.

The good thing is, no one got lost, as we ate, danced under the moon and enjoyed the fresh wind from the beach. As I bid farewell to them, Sarika whispered in my ear that she did not want to leave as she had fallen in love with Tanzania for its beauty and the kindness of its people.

Some sisters from Zimbabwe wanted to remain too, saying they enjoyed the delicious meals in the country, and not to mention a Kenyan sister who said she was fond of Tanzanians as they were kind and trustworthy.

All in all they had to go back to serve their communities. In a nutshell that was how our week ended and at the end of the day it reminded me of Lucky Dube’s song, different colours, one people.

 The writer is a journalist and an Executive Director for TAMCODE. Can be reached through sangunangwa@gmail.com