Tanzania makes strides in  human rights

DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA has advanced in various matters regarding implementation of human rights particularly right to education and women inclusion in social, political and economic diversity.

This was unanimously stated on Thursday by the panelists during the Human Right 75 roundtable held in Dar es Salaam.

A meeting that was coordinated by the Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance (CHRAGG) in collaboration with the United Nations Human Rights office of the High Commissioner, focused on sharing milestones, challenges and needs for the future of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

One of the panelists, Mr Richard Mokily, a Chairperson for Human Rights Club at University of Iringa said that the country has made a great step in formulation of the re-entry guideline that allow the teen mothers to return to school.

“Previously, if a boy student impregnated a girl student, a boy student continued with studies while a girl student dropped out of school, but this guideline gives equal rights to education to both, and here the country has taken a big step in this,” he stressed.

One year after President Samia Suluhu Hassan assumed the office, lifted a ban for teen mothers to return to school, a thing that was followed by various measures including the formulation of the re-entry guideline in 2022 by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

A guideline which gives a teen mother the second chance to return to school, two years after giving birth.

For her part Ms Alice Kuboja, Researcher at University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) Human Rights Club said the country has made progress in women inclusion in various matters.

Ms Kuboja citied President Samia Suluhu Hassan, a first female President of Tanzania as a vivid example for the country to adhere to women inclusion

“So far Tanzania has made progress in women inclusion in social, political and economic diversity, where currently we see the satisfactory numbers of women in top ranking positions,” he underlined.

She further said the nation’s 1977 constitution guarantees women equal protection under the law and prohibits discrimination based on gender as well as enshrine the women’s inclusion in various sectors.

However, despite the step made by the country, Ms Kuboja pointed out misconceptions as the one of the hindrance factors in some of the societies for women inclusion that required to be addressed.

Earlier officiating the event, Chairperson of CHRAGG, Retired Judge Mathew Mwaimu said that as the country commemorates the 75th anniversary of Human Rights Day, Tanzania has made a great visible stride in execution of human rights.

The former Judge highlighted some of the country’s moves including Tanzania to ratify various international and regional agreements on human rights, the country to involve human rights in the constitution, and the government’s action to enact various policies and laws in case of rights violations.