Samia Suluhu : This is my promise to Tanzanian women

Tanzanian Vice-President Samia Suluhu Hassan has called on women to speak with one voice and promised that the Fifth Government will prioritise gender issues.
Speaking Tuesday evening during a seminar to mark International Women Day at Serena Hotel, Dar es Salaam, the VP stated that women empowerment and gender awareness should not be a preserve of the government alone and instead called on everyone to be involved in ensuring there is fairness and equality enabling both men and women.
“Gender parity will be prioritised as long as I am there. Let’s not just stop at employment level but also go out to the villages where majority of women live,” she stated.
Ms Suluhu Hassan who was the guest of honour at the seminar pointed out that women are already making notable difference across all sectors including economic participation and decision- making bodies.
“There is a loud silence that women are making great difference on economic and social spheres given the mushrooming of activities by Tanzanian women,” she stated adding that this year’s women celebration is unique.
 She also called for fair treatment of female employees in different work places while emphasizing on on work life balance urging women to take care of their health as well.
While highlighting that the country has made notable progress with more girls enrolling in schools, more women in employment and other decision making organs like Parliament, more still need to be done to ensure gender parity is achieved.
“We still have unfinished business since there is more work to be done. We as a society need to tackle and finish this unfinished business and it can be done if we speak with one voice,” Ms Suluhu Hassan concluded while calling on all the stakeholders to intensify their efforts to reduce the gender gap.
She also noted that with more women in school, Tanzania would see accelerated economic growth.
While speaking on the same occasion, the former minister for Constitution and Justice Affairs, Dr Asha-Rose Migiro who was the guest speaker gave her life journey and urged women to ensure there is flexible work arrangement to enable them balance their work and family life. She also stressed that more girls need to be educated.
“We should ensure that we retain more girls in schools,” she urged.
The Deputy Minister for Health, Social Welfare, Gender, the Elderly and Children, Mr Hamisi Kigwangala reiterated that women are making a great difference across various sectors in their own unique ways.
The seminar was organised by Kazi Services Limited, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), in collaboration with the Association of Tanzania Employers (ATE) and it brought together stakeholders from government and private sectors plus Non-Governmental organisations with the theme "Empowering women to achieve gender parity".  Dr Tulia Ackson, the Deputy Speaker also attended the occassion among other dignitaries.
Though Tanzania joined the rest of the world to mark the International Women’s Day, with the global theme to push for 50-50 gender parity, the country is still struggling to meet the same but many see the appointment of the first ever-female VP as a positive step towards equality.