CHAMA cha waandishi wa Habari Wanawake Tanzania, Zanzibar (TAMWA-ZNZ) kinawataka Wanawake kuwa wajasiri na kujitayarisha kiuongozi bila kuogopa changamoto zinazowakabili wanawake wanapoingia katika uongozi ili kuongeza ushiriki wao kwenye vyombo vya maamuzi.
Idadi ndogo ya wanawake katika vyombo vya maamuzi na michakato ya kidemokrasia umekuwa ukijidhihirisha katika chaguzi zinazofanyika nchini kila baada ya miaka mitano ambapo wanawake hupata nafasi chache na ndogo jambo ambalo linaweza kuwa kikwazo kwa Tanzania kutokomeza umaskini na kuimarisha demokrasia inayowapa wananchi haki ya kuchagua kiongozi wamtakae.
Hivi karibuni TAMWA ZNZ kimeendesha mafunzo kwa wanawake wenye dhamira ya kugombea nafasi za uongozi Zanzibar na kubaini kwepo kwa hofu miongoni mwa wanawake kushiriki katika nafasi hizo kutokana na sababu mbalimbali.
Miongoni mwa sababu zilizobainika kukwamisha ushiriki wa wanawake katika vyombo hivyo ni vitisho, hofu dhidi ya rushwa ya Ngono, pamoja kukosekana kwa mifumo na sera ya jinsia ndani ya vyama vya siasa inayowajenga na kuwaandaa wanawake kuwa viongozi bora.
Kukosekana kwa mifumo hiyo kunaathiri uwezo wa wanawake kutambua na kusimama kudai haki zao za msingi jambo ambalo ni kinyume na matakwa ya katiba na mikataba ya kimataifa kuhusu haki za kibinaadamu.
Aidha ilibainika kuwa changamoto hiyo inapelekea wanawake wengi kujaribu kuingia bila kuwa na misingi sahihi ya namna ya kuwa kiongozi bora na kuweka ugumu wa ufikiaji wa lengo namba tano la Maendeleo Endelevu ya Umoja wa Mataifa linalohimiza upatikanaji wa Usawa wa Kijinsia kwa Wanawake na Wasichana katika nyanja zote.
Ikumbukwe kuwa kwa kutambua umuhimu wa mwanamke Sheria na sera mbali mbali za Zanzibar zimeeleza kuhusu haki ya wanawake kushiriki katika demokrasia na uongozi, Katiba ya Zanzibar ya 1984 kifungu 21(2) Kila Mzanzibari anayo haki na uhuru wa kushiriki kwa ukamilifu katika kufikia uamuzi juu ya mambo yanayomuhusu mwanamke na Taifa lake.
Hivyo, TAMWA-ZNZ inaviomba vyama vya siasa na wadau wote kushirikiana kuwa mstari wa mbele kuwaandaa watoto wa kike katika misingi ya uongozi bora ili wakue katika misingi hiyo itakayowawezesha kutambua haki zao na kushiriki kikamilifu katika michakato yote ya maamuzi kwa maendeleo ya Taifa.
Tunaamini kwamba uwepo wa sera ya jinsia ndani ya vyama vya siasa na kuweka mifumo mizuri ya miundo ya uongozi inayozingatia jinsia itapelekea kuwepo kwa uwiano wenye kutetea haki na maslahi ya makundi yote kwa maendeleo ya jamii na Taifa kwa ujumla.
Ikumbukwe jumla ya wanawake 170 kutoka Unguja na Pemba wamejengewa uwezo kuhusu uongozi kwa lengo la kufikia usawa wa kijinsia na kuengeza ushiriki wao katika ngazi za maamuzi.
Tunaamini kwamba iwapo wanawake watajengewa misingi ya uongozi bora mapema itasaidia kupatikana kwa viongozi bora wenye kutetea haki na maslahi ya makumdi yote kwa maendeleo ya jamii na Taifa kwa ujumla.
Pia tunawahimiza wanawake kuondoa hofu na badala yake wawe na uthubutu wa kushiriki kudai haki zao ikiwemo kujitokeza katika michakato ya uongozi ili kuwezesha upatikanaji wa usawa wa kijinsia.
Imetolewa na,
Idara ya Habari na mawasiliano
TAMWA Zanzibar
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TAMWA ZANZIBAR requests political parties to support the efforts of women who have the intention to participate in leadership roles.
The Tanzania Media Women’s Association, Zanzibar (TAMWA-ZNZ), urges women to remain steadfast in their attempt to vie for political leadership position, overcoming any possible challenges that women often face when entering leadership positions to increase their participation in decision-making bodies.
The low number of women in decision-making bodies and democratic processes is evidently spotted during election time every five years, where women are given limited opportunities the situation which can hinder Tanzania’s efforts to eradicate poverty and strengthen democracy, which grants citizens the right to choose their preferred leaders.
Recently, TAMWA ZNZ conducted training sessions for women with the aspiration to run for leadership positions in Zanzibar and discovered that there is fear among women to participate in such roles due to various reasons.
Among the identified reasons identified hindering the participation of women in these bodies are threats, fear of sexual bribery, as well as the absence of gender systems and policies within political parties that build and prepare women to become effective leaders.
The absence of such systems hinders women’s ability to recognize and stand up for their fundamental rights, which goes against the requirements of the Constitution and international agreements concerning human rights.
Furthermore, it was observed that this challenge leads many women to attempt to enter leadership roles without having the proper foundations on how to be effective leaders, making it difficult to achieve Sustainable Development Goal number five of the United Nations, which promotes Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women and Girls in all areas.
It should be noted that recognizing the importance of women, various laws and policies in Zanzibar have emphasized the right of women to participate in democracy and leadership. Article 21(2) of the Zanzibar Constitution of 1984 states that every Zanzibari has the right and freedom to fully participate in decisions regarding matters concerning women and their nation.
Therefore, TAMWA ZNZ calls for political parties and other stakeholders to join the frontline in capacitating young girls and women with good governance skills so that they can grow within these foundations that empower them to recognize their rights and participate fully in all decision-making processes for the development of the nation.
TAMWA-ZNZ believes that the presence of gender policies within political parties and the establishment of well-structured leadership systems that consider gender will lead to a balanced representation that advocates for the rights and interests of all groups for the development of society and the nation as a whole.
A total of 170 women from Unguja and Pemba have been empowered with leadership skills with the goal of achieving gender equality and increasing their participation in decision-making levels.
We believe that if women are given a strong foundation in leadership early on, it will contribute to the emergence of competent leaders who advocate for the rights and interests of all, promoting the development of both society and the nation as a whole.
We also encourage women to overcome their fears and instead have the courage to participate in demanding their rights, including engaging in leadership processes to promote gender equality.
Issued by
Media and Communications department
TAMWA Zanzibar.