Relevance of International Women’s Day to the United Nations in Tanzania

Relevance of International WomeAs we come together to mark the International Women’s Day 2024, embracing the powerful theme “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress,” it is a poignant moment to reflect on Tanzania’s journey towards sustainable development. This momentous occasion resonates deeply, highlighting the fundamental principles of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5’s vision for gender equality and empowering all women and girls. SDG 5 is also central to the Global Compact on Refugees, which provides for adopting and implementing policies and programs to empower women and girls in refugee and host communities.

This commitment is closely aligned with the United Nations’ ongoing endeavors in Tanzania, as detailed in the current UN Cooperation Framework, which aims at fostering inclusive economic growth, social development, and environmental sustainability.

The United Nations in Tanzania has prioritized gender equality within its cooperation framework, acknowledging its critical role in achieving the SDGs.

By concentrating on pivotal areas such as economic empowerment, education and skills, health, nutrition, protection from violence and political participation, the UN’s initiatives are crucial for building a society where women and men, girls and boys enjoy equal opportunities. This is essential for the holistic development of the country’s human capital and economic potential.

Economic empowerment: Our vision for inclusive growth

Tanzania’s commitment to SDG8, focusing on Decent Work and Economic Growth, is vital for women’s economic empowerment. Poverty and gender inequality go hand-in-hand. We can’t end one without tackling the other.

In line with Tanzania’s Generation Equality commitments, the United Nations, through its agencies, supports women’s access to financial services, markets, sustainable entrepreneurship, and employment opportunities. This support extends across borders, enhancing women’s participation in cross-border trade within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), bolstering economic empowerment and the continent’s economic diversification and growth. Through this initiative, Tanzanian products such as coffee, sisal fibers, and cloves have found markets in Algeria, Nigeria, and Morocco.

We strongly advocate for initiatives that equip women, including refugees and asylum seekers in line with the Global Compact for Refugees to foster inclusive economic growth in refugee-hosting areas, with the necessary skills and resources to engage in the economy, as well as national and sectoral plans and strategies that take gender considerations into account.

These are fundamental steps towards eradicating poverty (SDG 1) and fostering inclusive economic growth (SDG 10).

Educational equity: Laying the groundwork for empowerment

Poverty drives child marriage, traps adolescent girls in violent homes or relationships, and leads to adolescent girls shouldering heavy domestic responsibilities and missing out on their right to an education.

We strongly believe that extending girls’ education beyond the primary level is crucial for their future. It not only improves their job prospects and economic status but also promotes their health, reduces early marriages, and decreases the risks of gender-based violence. Girls and women have undeniable equal rights to quality education and lifelong learning as boys and men.

The UN’s focus on quality education (SDG 4) in Tanzania demonstrates a genuine commitment to removing the obstacles girls and women encounter in education. We support efforts to keep girls in school, including those in refugee camps, and to eliminate social norms and practices that limit their educational opportunities. Promoting literacy and STEM education for girls is essential for achieving gender equality and empowering women in today’s knowledge economy.

In fact, the Binti campaign to end child marriage in Tanzania has been an instrumental platform for over 70 organizations and garnered 150,000 pledges advocating for the amendment of the Law of Marriage Act to raise the marriage age to 18

We appreciate the government’s commitment and concrete steps to amend the Law, and we sincerely hope that the bill will be passed in Parliament to set 18 as the minimum age of marriage for both girls and boys.

Health and well-being: A priority for a thriving future

Aligned with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), the UN support for improving maternal health services and reproductive health care in Tanzania is crucial. Investing in women’s health not only enhances their quality of life but also plays a significant role in advancing human capital at large, placing women and fostering women’s participation in economic development.

Political participation and leadership: Advocating for inclusive policies

We strongly support women’s leadership and their role in decision-making, particularly in peace-building efforts, aligning with SDG 16. We applaud Tanzania’s first National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security, which promotes women’s active participation in peace processes. Women’s involvement in peace-building is not only a right due to the unique impact of conflict on them but also essential because of their potential to drive positive social change and achieve sustainable peace in their communities.

Increasing women’s involvement in decision-making enhances community well-being and ensures inclusive policies reflect diverse societal needs. The UN strategy supports expanding women’s roles in leadership, aiming to empower women and girls. We are dedicated to collaborating with the Tanzanian Government and partners to promote these efforts and investments for more inclusive governance.

Breaking the bias, embracing equality

We firmly believe that at the heart of empowering women and girls lies the crucial need for access to information.

This access is pivotal in enabling them to assert their rights and bridge gender gaps effectively.

We must ensure that communities, especially women and girls, are equipped with the necessary information to make well-informed decisions, tackle local challenges, and engage actively in public life, regardless of the medium.

This commitment perfectly aligns with Sustainable Development Goals 16 and 5, which highlight the vital connection between information accessibility and the pursuit of gender equality as a cornerstone of sustainable development.

The theme for International Women’s Day 2024, “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress,” is not merely a call to action—it’s a blueprint for realizing the Sustainable Development Goals in Tanzania.

As we commemorate this day, we urge all to renew our pledge to gender equality as an essential pillar for a prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable Tanzania.