Tanzanian women hope for a stronger voice in new constitution
|
Version 0 of 1. This year is critical for women in Tanzania. In just a few months, we'll find out if the country is to have a new national constitution with the power to transform the lives and protect the rights of millions of women. We've walked a long, hard path to create a fair society that enables women to flourish, but there have been successes. Amina, 22, is a young woman involved in prostitution in Dar es Salaam. Commercial sex work wasn't in her life plan, but she was lured away from her village as a young girl with the promise of work as a maid in the city. Over the past two years, a government-led commission has been travelling around the country to hear from ordinary people about what they want to see in the revised governing principles of our nation. Supported by VSO in partnership with UN Women – as well as Mama Cash, the African Development Fund, the Global Fund for Women and others – Women Fund Tanzania has been financing and convening a coalition of women's rights organisations across the country to ensure the voices of marginalised women like Amina are heard by the commission. Amina is a member of one particular women's network trained during the constitutional review. The group consists entirely of women involved in sex work, which means they are not recognised by the state. For the first time, they understand their constitutional rights and have been lobbying for the right to access basic services. Set up by Habiba Hasheem, Amina's group helps female sex workers to share knowledge and get their voices heard. These women are often denied even their most basic rights. They are beaten by police, chased from their houses, and find it difficult to participate in any religious activities. Often, it is a challenge for them to access healthcare; for example, if they attend hospital, they are usually told they must come with their partner to receive treatment. Yet, through the work of these grassroots women's groups, female sex workers have been able to claim a voice in shaping the country's constitution. Movements like Habiba's are now calling for their rights: for housing, access to medical care, and more women in positions of leadership at all levels. It has been critical for our coalition to speak to policymakers with a unified voice. However, I do believe that women in Tanzanian society are starting to be heard. Of the 13 women we nominated for the Constituent Assembly – the group of individuals reviewing the latest draft constitution – six were appointed. The assembly has a total of 620 members, with 364 men and 256 women. During the constitutional review, we presented recommendations including the abolition of customary and discriminatory local laws that still exist in our country. These include a law preventing widows from inheriting land and a marriage law that allows underage girls to be married. We also recommended equal representation in parliament and all other decision-making bodies, and argued for gender equality to be a pillar of the new constitution. While national movements like ours do their best for gender equality, they must be supported by international pressure on states. This year, discussions about the framework to replace the millennium development goals have intensified and many international organisations are campaigning for a strengthened standalone goal on gender equality and women's empowerment. This should include a target to increase female representation and influence at all levels of decision-making. It is also particularly important that this new international framework measures women's own experiences of discrimination. Similarly, women's groups like ours must be part of the process when it comes to reporting on how things have actually changed for women on the ground. The decision as to whether or not Tanzania adopts the revised constitution under review will be determined by a referendum later this year. I am hopeful that these important next steps will help to create a more equal environment for women in Tanzania, one that will give greater voice to women like Amina and help all women to realise their basic rights. • Mary Rusimbi is the executive director and co-founder of Women Fund Tanzania. She is a founding member and former executive director of the Tanzania Gender Networking Programme |