WCEL urges women to participate in Vision 2050 preps

DAR ES SALAAM: THE Coalition on Women, Constitution, Election and Leadership (WCEL) has called on women across the country to actively participate and provide their opinions in the preparations of the National Economic Development Vision 2050.

The coalition emphasised that it is crucial for women to come forward in large numbers to advance the struggle for women’s liberation, ensuring access to national and social resources, and to take part in important national decisions.

Speaking at their national conference in Dar es Salaam on Monday, WCEL Chairperson Professor Penina Mlama highlighted the importance of women’s participation.

She noted that by involving women, it will be easier to incorporate the principles of women’s rights into the economic, social, and political contexts, leading to the overall development and well-being of women in the country.

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As the country prepares for local government elections later this year, Prof Mlama stressed that significant efforts are still needed to increase women’s participation in leadership positions.

She pointed out that women, the elderly, the disabled, and most young women remain in a state of poverty due to systems that deny them access to basic services such as education, health, economic development opportunities, technology usage, and legal rights.

Prof Mlama stated that the lack of these opportunities causes women to continue suffering from stigma, discrimination, oppression, and violence. Consequently, the voice and participation of women in various levels of development, including decision-making bodies, continue to diminish.

“For example, statistics on women’s participation at all levels of leadership in politics are still low compared to men. For instance, elected female Members of Parliament in constituencies are 26 out of 264, village chairpersons are 2.1 per cent, 246 out of 11,915, local government 12.6 per cent, and sub-village chairpersons 6.7 per cent of all chairpersons. Therefore, deliberate efforts are still needed from all levels, stakeholders, organizations, networks, the government, the community, and the nation to recognize and value the rights of women and young women to participate in leadership and their contributions to political strategies,” she asserted.

WCEL was established as the Network of Women and the Constitution, with over 65 civil society organizations in 2011 when the Fourth Phase President, Jakaya Kikwete, announced the intention to start the process of drafting a new constitution.

This network emerged from a movement focused on ensuring that the process and content of the draft constitution did not leave behind the participation and voices of women and girls, especially those who are many and marginalized. Human Rights Activist Helen Kijo-Bisimba added that political parties should help women stand and get opportunities to run for leadership positions.

“Women have the ability and are everywhere, but unfortunately, there have been various reasons pulling them back,” she noted.