Be models to others, women leaders told

DAILY NEWS Reporter

Former Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Anne Makinda.

WOMEN in leadership positions have been urged to work hard and diligently to become role models for other women.

Former Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Anne Makinda, said women holding leadership positions in various companies and institutions have a role to play to encourage other fellow women to strive for higher positions and achievements.

She was talking to the press just after the closing of the Women’s Leadership Advocacy Event over the weekend in Dar es Salaam. “The number of women in directorship positions is still low in the country,” she said.

The former speaker said women given various leadership positions have so far proved beyond doubts that they are trustworthy and responsible, uncorrupt and have worked diligently in their work places.

The basic and crucial thing, she said, was for women directors to perform well and encourage colleagues to come out and vie for top leadership positions. She called upon the Institute of Directors Tanzania to train and inspire women to aim higher.

“The challenge we have is that though we have many educated women today, majority of them still lack confidence,” she said.

Giving examples, she noted that women have proved to be capable in running Village Community Banks (VICOBA), SACCOS, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) companies.

Explaining on some of the deliberations, the Managing Director for the IoDT, Mr Said Kambi noted that the meeting went on well. “A task force has been formed and the meeting’s recommendations will be forwarded to the government for actions,” he said.

A Chairperson of the Task Force to empower women to take advantage of leadership positions in Tanzania, Margareth Chacha said they are set to strategise on building courage to women to succeed in various sectors.

“We need to involve men in this, they are major stakeholders in this,” Chacha who is also the Managing Director for the Tanzania Women Bank said. A member of the task force, Dr Marina Njelekela said a lot of efforts are needed to raise women’s contribution on development to another level