Women rights activists have intensified calls to the government to ensure all barriers to women taking leadership roles, including contesting in political elections, are removed before the next General Elections in 2025.
They aired their voice at the one-day symposium on ‘the status of women participation in leadership and democratic process in Zanzibar. The forum was organised by the Tanzania Media Women Association (TAMWA)-Zanzibar in collaboration with Zanzibar Female Lawyers Association (ZAFELA) and Pemba Environment, Gender, and Advocacy Organization (PEGAO) implementing.
The NGOs are implementing the SWIL (Strengthen Women in Leadership) a four-year project aimed at strengthening and encouraging more women contest in political elections, to achieve 50/50 gender parity at all levels of decision-making bodies as soon as possible.
At the meeting supported by the Norwegian Embassy in Dares Salaam held at the Zanzibar Utilities Regulatory Authority (ZURA) hall in the city, participants, mainly women coming from political parties, NGOs, students from higher learning institutions and the government, mentioned several obstacles for women in the search for leadership roles.
According to some of the views given at the meeting graced by the Permanent Secretary (PS)- State Ministry, Office of the President (Finance and Planning) DrJuma Malik Akili, the obstacles include discriminatory laws, traditional practices, attitudes and gender stereotypes, patriarchy system, low levels of education, and the disproportionate effect of poverty on women.
“It is high time discriminatory laws are revoked to clear the way for us to get engaged in politics and contest in elections,” Ms Fatma Omar said, arguing that some men even use religion to discourage women to vie for political positions saying Islam prohibits women taking leadership roles.
Ms Asha Aboud, who chaired the meeting and the TAMWA-Zanzibar Director Dr Mzuri Issa teamed up to agree with views that the political environment and conditions are often unfriendly to women, who want to contest.
Ms Aboud said a review of the laws is essential as it is among ways to push for 50/50 gender representation to end bullying and suppression during elections, political participation and governance.
It was also pointed out that lack of political will within political parties also discourages women with interest in contesting in elections backed by political parties and that 50 percent women in decision-making positions will only be reached if there is equal or levelled ground for women and men in contesting.
The PS promised changes and that Zanzibar is already on track to achieve the 50/50 men and women as “More and more women have been increasing in all decision-making levels.”
DrAkili observed that women and men equality at all levels of decision-making and political involvement is essential to the achievement of equality, sustainable development, peace and democracy and the inclusion of their perspectives and experiences into the decision-making processes.
Comments are closed.