Women counselled to play motherly role in safeguarding peace

DODOMA: WOMEN across the country have been urged to embrace their vital, motherly role in promoting peace and stability, which are the cornerstone in contributing to the shared growth and development of families, communities and the nation at large.

Speaking at the Women 2025 Forum held in Dodoma yesterday, participants said women remain central to nurturing values, unity and harmony in society.

Veteran politician, Mama Keti Kamba explained that women serve as the first teachers in a child’s life, shaping how they understand and relate to the world.

“A mother is a nurturer and custodian of values, entrusted by God with the honour of bringing life into the world. That is why, when asked about your first language in English, you are asked about your ‘mother tongue,’” she said.

Mama Kamba further said that a woman’s primary responsibility within society is to cultivate a generation grounded in values, love and discipline.

She added that women naturally foster unity and create peaceful environments an investment that forms the foundation of a harmonious and stable community.

“That is why many women form groups. They are the caregivers and the backbone of society,” she explained.

She stressed that women play a crucial role in preserving culture, history and moral values, urging that children be taught traditions, customs and the fundamentals of humanity to uphold social cohesion.

Mama Kamba further warned that neglecting these foundations could threaten the nation’s future, noting that a woman’s role in sustaining peace extends from one generation to the next.

The Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial Academy Lecturer, Dr Tatu Nyange said national peace is strengthened when women are empowered to act, lead and participate in decision-making.

Citing global women’s networks, she noted that societies that elevate women are able to resolve conflicts faster and achieve more lasting peace.

“This stems from the unique position women hold within families, communities and decision-making spaces,” she said.

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Dr Nyange added that a safe family is the foundation of a peaceful society, stressing that when a woman is stable, the entire nation stands strong. She also called for deliberate investment in women as peacekeepers and pioneers of sustainable reconciliation.

The Chairperson of the Arusha Region Women’s Economic Empowerment Forum, Ms Sifa Swai warned that the absence of peace has far-reaching consequences on which women’s businesses suffer, children miss meals and young people abandon school and lose direction.

She cautioned that in the digital era, misinformation shared online threatens peace by damaging reputations, spreading fear and sparking conflict and social disintegration.

She defined peace as a state of calm that provides individuals with dignity, stability, and hope for the future.

She added that socially, peace means mutual respect, love and coexistence without divisions of tribe, religion or political ideology, including the ability to sit together even amid disagreements.

According to Ms Swai, peace creates an environment where people can work, trade, earn income and access essential services such as health, water and electricity without disruption.

She said peace is crucial factor for fostering economic growth to any country in the world.

She added that on culture, peace is expressed through upholding traditions, values, truth-telling with respect and a spirit of forgiveness.

Ms Swai stressed that peace is strengthened through daily investments in social services, including access to education, dignified livelihoods and food security.

She added that ensuring the safety and protection of people and their property is central to maintaining lasting peace.