By Business Standard Reporter
WOMEN'S ability to overcome poverty, cope with shocks and improve their well-being have been taking the central role in economic empowerment endeavours in the country.
The chances for Tanzanian women in decision-making bodies have been minimal largely rooted in cultural norms despite making up a huge portion of the country's population.
When women realize their economic goals, whether it's growing a business, improving their home or investing in training or education, they're more resilient and able to provide for themselves and their families.
According to national statistics, women account for 51.4 per cent of the population, but their representation in the key leadership post was minimal.
Yet, globally, women continue to trail men in formal labour force participation, land and property ownership, and access to financial services, like credit and savings.
In recent years, there were several campaigns to empower the group to have more presence in both politics and income generation activities.
The government's policies and programmes were initiated to empower women and reduce the gender gap in the country. The government's programmes and policies have also received significant political will from the national top leaders.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan has proved this within just 100 days in office after she took over following the death of President John Magufuli.
President Samia in her several speeches promised to appoint women to various leadership positions provided they have unquestionable integrity, competence and required education level.
The Head of State has been keen on spotting capabilities in women, the qualities that proved that women have great potential in carrying out their responsibilities.
When appointing from different posts, the President has been emphasizing gender parity and warned her appointees against propagating gender discrimination in their areas.
She also insists on the ability and fulfilment of the responsibilities that each one of the appointees must play in boosting the national economy to achieve the 2025 targets.
Recently, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry and Trade Mr Doto James called for the society to support women entrepreneurs to fully participate in production activities for Tanzania to realize anticipated sustainable industrial economic development.
Mr James insisted that it was the duty of every concerned citizen to ensure that women entrepreneurs are accessing their rights of not only doing business but also access to available opportunities and basic understandings of tax payment rules and formalizing their businesses, the move which he said will lift the country's economy.
"Tanzanians at large must support women to grab business opportunities available, markets, loans and how to grow business," Mr James said in dares Salaam Yesterday.
He was opening training for Women entrepreneurs from different parts of the country organized by Equal Opportunities for all Trust Fund (EOTF) He highlighted that women must also be supported to establish small scale processing industries and attend local, regional and international trade fairs so that they can access markets, increase earnings and subsequently, grow the country's industrial economy.
Mr James highlighted that women are an important part of the society who must be prioritized to access education, decision-making platforms and economics if we are to build a successful industrial economy.
"Women entrepreneurs are mostly in Farming, fishing, artisanal and small scale mining as well as handcrafts, and these sectors do play a major role for producing raw materials for major industries," Earlier, EOTF Chair Person Ms Anna Mkapa informed the permanent secretary that the training encompassed women entrepreneurs from all over the country, to build their trading capacities as the Dar es Salaam International trade fair kicks off this coming weekend.
She said that EOTF is focusing on supporting women, for apart from facing several setbacks, they form a major part of the population of up to 53 pc of Tanzanians.
The training goes with the theme of Women entrepreneurs' war against poverty, ignorance and diseases, she said.
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