Acting executive director of the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC), Lulu Urio
, Tanzania has so far achieved just 36 per cent of women in such roles, according to local gender activists.
Lack of political will and failure to harmonise civil and customary
laws to conform to international provisions that uphold women rights
have been cited as the main reasons why Tanzania now seems certain to
miss the 2030 target.
With only two general elections (2020-2025) scheduled to be held
before the target year, activists and analysts who spoke to The Guardian
yesterday on the occasion of the International Women’s Day called for a
review of the national constitution to allow the equality ratio to
cover both political and administrative posts.
Currently the constitution only stipulates a 50/50 ratio in the
National Assembly, and according to the acting executive director of the
Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC), Lulu Urio, the 36 per cent
leadership share currently enjoyed by Tanzanian women is restricted to
the august House only.
Urio said the two general elections would not help the nation
achieve the 50/50 ratio goal by 2030 because of the lack of political
commitment. “Even if we achieve the goal in the National Assembly…what
about other (leadership) organs?” she queried.
She underscored the need for specific laws and regulations that
would make it compulsory for political parties to field contestants of
equal gender balance for various elective positions. The percentage of
women aspirants in last year’s general elections was negligible, she
noted: CCM had only 9 per cent, Chadema (6 per cent), ACT-Wazalendo (11
per cent) and CUF (11 per cent). The country coordinator of the Tanzania
Women Cross Party (TWCP) – Ulingo platform, Dr Ave Maria Semakafu, was
optimistic that the 50/50 ratio could be attained by the year 2020 if
the country endorses the new proposed national constitution.
On the other hand, the executive director of the Tanzania Media
Women’s Association (TAMWA), Eddah Sanga, quoted a recent global report
that shows many countries including Tanzania would need at least 113
years – or 35 general elections (after every five years) - to achieve
the target.
Sanga called for the scrapping of local laws against early
marriages and female genital mutilation (FGM) as necessary steps towards
promoting real women’s empowerment. She mentioned the Marriage Act of
1971 as among the impediments since it permits girls aged just 14 to get
married with parental consent.
According to the Tanzania Demographic Health Survey, 4 out of 10
girls in the country are married off before the age of 18. It is
estimated that in the 2000-2011 period, 37 per cent of women aged
between 20 and 24 were in a marital union by age 18 in Tanzania.
Speaking in Arusha yesterday, Lady Justice Aishiel Sumari of the
Moshi High Court said that current national laws offer too many
loopholes for the propagation of discrimination and violence against
women.
She said there is a need to harmonise civil and customary laws to
ensure they are in line with international treaties like the Convention
on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
Adopted in 1979 by the United Nations General Assembly and ratified
by 189 states including Tanzania, CEDAW is described as an
international bill of rights for women. Among other things, the
provision demands women’s participation in decision-making at all
levels, and the rejection of violence against women as well as
impediments against their advancement.
The chairperson of the Tanganyika Law Society (TLS), Arusha
chapter, Modest Akida, said it was important for the government to
adhere to the Maputo protocol that guarantees comprehensive rights to
women, including the right to take part in political processes, enjoy
social and political equality with men, be in control of their
reproductive health, and say no to female genital mutilation.
SOURCE:
THE GUARDIAN
