TAMWA conducted a meeting with journalists to reflect on Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Programme (GEWE II) implementation for year one. The programme is being implemented in ten districts of Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar. The districts include, Kinondoni, Ilala, Kisarawe, Mvomero, Lindi Rural, Newala, Wete, Unguja West and Unguja South.

The journalists were also briefed on the activities implemented as well as the success that were achieved for the period of one year. The two year programme which started in October 2012 has been able to create awareness to the public through both electronic and print media, currently people from the programme area are now reporting GBV incidents compared before the commencement of the programme.

“TAMWA is now receiving phone calls and emails from GBV survivors across the whole of Tanzania who seek legal and counselling aid as a result of GEWE II implementation, people now do not consider GBV as a family matter, people are coming out and spoke without fear” said Happiness Bagambi GEWE II Progamme Assistant.

Additionally the journalists have high knowledge and skills in reporting gender based violence stories through the training done by TAMWA.

A total of 1515 GBV survivors were given legal and counselling aid in the programme area by other partners implementing the programme namely TAWLA, ZAFELA and TAMWA’s Crisis resolving Centre respectively.

On the other hand the journalists were also updated on the TAMWA’s campaign to reduce school pregnancy which is being supported by Foundation for Civil Society (FCS). The campaign is aimed at advocating on the ways of reducing the problem in secondary schools across Tanzania.

It was noted that between 2004 and 2008, a total of 28,590 schoolgirls in the country dropped out of school as a result of unwanted pregnancy. In 2007 alone 21.9% of all drop-outs recorded in Tanzanian secondary schools were due to pregnancy.

Finally, the journalists were asked to report gender based violence stories to raise more awareness on gender based violence in their communities.

Fact Sheet

November 30, 2014

School pregnancy or sometimes regarded as teenage pregnancy occur in girls who have not completed their primary or secondary school and have few or no remarkable skills, are financially dependent upon their parents and/or continues to live at home and are often immature. Teenage pregnancies remain a serious problem in Tanzania. It is estimated that at the age of seventeen or of eighteen 39%, of all females are either pregnant or already mothers

About one in 20 girls in Tanzania began child-bearing at the age of 15 years, and this rises sharply to one in four among 17 year olds. Girls in rural areas are almost twice as likely as girls in urban areas to start childbearing before they reach 19 years. More than half of girls with no education are mothers or pregnant before they reach 19 years, compared with about 25 per cent of those who completed primary school and less than five per cent of girls who attended secondary school. Open links below to read more..

Swahili version!

English version!

July 23,2014

The newly released Fact sheet in this month, July 2014. Fact Sheet!

Worldwide, it is estimated that 51 million girls younger than 18 are child brides. The majority of early marriages occur in West and East Africa and South Asia. Over the next decade, another 100 million girls will face early marriages.

Tanzania has one of the highest child marriage prevalence rates in the world. On average, almost two out of five girls will be married before their 18th birthday. In 2010, about 37% of the women aged 20-24 were married/in union before age 18. Data shows a 10% decline since 2004 (41%).

For more previous fact sheet editions open Fact sheet Downloads page.

February 19,2014

Board Member of the Tanzania Media Women’s Association (TAMWA) Gladness Hemed Munuo launching a Gender Based Violence survey report which was conducted in December 2013 in 20 districts of Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar today at the association’s office in Sinza Mori, Dar es Salaam.

The Tanzania Media Women’s Association (TAMWA) today February 19,2014, released a Gender Based Violence survey report which was conducted last year in twenty districts of Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. The report was unveiled to journalist by the association’s board member Gladness Hemedi Munuo today at Sinza – Mori.

The survey is a result of training conducted with the support from UNFPA in which 30 journalists from across the country were sent to the regions to conduct survey.

The report highlights the real situation of GBV in the surveyed areas and factors limiting stakeholders’ efforts to defending women and children rights in the country.

In Tanzania Mainland, the survey was carried out in the following districts and respective regions in brackets; Kahama (Shinyanga), Tarime (Mara), Sengerema (Mwanza), Newala (Mtwara), Mbulu (Manyara), Singida Rural (Singida), Bariadi (Simiyu), Busega (Simiyu), Nkasi (Rukwa), Dodoma (Dodoma), Babati (Manyara), Chunya (Mbeya) and Bunda (Mara) while in Zanzibar, the survey was conducted in six districts from regions of Mjini Magharibi, Kusini Pemba, Kaskazini Pemba, Unguja Kusini and Kaskazini Unguja.

For information  Download the report in English version here and Swahili version here

November 30,2014

Click here to read new released magazine..

January 13,2014

The new Sauti ya Siti magazine has been released with new features, stories and many more....

Download English version here and Swahili version here

Previous Edition

Open Sauti ya Siti Downloads page for more editions recently published on the website.

March 08, 2015

TAMWA scoops two awards at the International Women’s Day 2015

The Tanzania Media Women’s Association (TAMWA) won two awards in recognition of its endless efforts to bring about gender equality and women empowerment in the country.
The awards were presented by Tanzania President Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete to TAMWA’s Acting Director, Gladness Munuo, as part of International Women’s Day marked every year on March 8 to celebrate the social, political and economic achievements of women while focusing world attention on areas requiring further action to achieve equality for women.

Nationally, the day was celebrated in Morogoro where TAMWA conducted series of activities such as a presentation on Child Early and Forced Marriage, the provision of legal services and counseling to women, children and gender based violence survivors and engaging the media in publicizing the global event at national level.

The first National Award recognized TAMWA for its outstanding contribution to the awareness raising and prevention of Child Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation.

TAMWA also emerged an overall winner of awards provided in recognition of contributions towards awareness raising on gender equality and women empowerment.

These awards are a result of the advocacy that TAMWA has been doing in collaboration with international partners DANIDA, UNFPA, UN Women and Ford Foundation and with national partners; the Media, the Child Dignity Forum, the Masanga Centre in Tarime, The Tanzania Ending Child Marriage Network (TECMN), and the Anti-FGM Coalition, the ministry of Community Development, Gender and Children and various other stakeholders working against all forms of GBV in Tanzania.

This is the second time within a span of two weeks that TAMWA’s contribution in fighting for gender equality, women empowerment and the rights of the girl child is recognized. On February 24, the High Commission of Canada presented an award to Executive Director of TAMWA, Valerie Msoka to honor her distinguished contribution to the efforts to end child, early and forced marriage in Tanzania.
The Morogoro event, in which President Kikwete was the Guest of Honour, was also attended by  Hon. Sophia Simba, Minister of Community Development, Gender and Children, government officials, politicians, members of the diplomatic corps,  representatives from UN agencies, funds and programmes, Civil Society representatives, the media and the general public especially women and children.

February 06,2015

MAADHIMISHO YA KUPINGA UKEKETAJI SINGIDA

Chama cha Wanahabari Wanawake nchini (TAMWA) Kimeungana na mashirika mengine yanayopinga vitendo vya ukatili wa kijinsia na kutetea haki za binadamu tarehe 6.02.2015 kuadhimisha siku ya kupinga ukeketaji Duniani ambayo mwaka huu imefanyika kitaifa mkoani Singida.

Lengo la maadhimisho hayo ni kuunganisha nguvu za wabunge, wakuu wa mikoa, polisi, mahakama, viongozi wa dini,waathirika wa vitendo hivyo, wanafunzi walimu,wazee wamila pamoja na ngaribaili kuweka mikakati ya kuondoaukatili huo kutoka asilimia 15 hadi sifuri.
Waziri wa jamii,Jinsia na watoto, Sophia samba alikuwa mgeni rasmikatika maadhimisho hayo yenye kauli mbiu isemayo, piga vita ukeketaji.

Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa TAMWA Valerie Msoka alisema kuwa anaamini ukeketaji unaweza kuisha endapo jamii itapatiwa elimu ya kuondokana na mila kandamizi kwani zinakiuka haki za binadamu na kudhoofisha afya za wasichana na wanawakepia kusababisha vifo vingi

  KUTANO MKUU WA WANACHAMA WA TAMWA (AGM 2014)

 Tembelea ukarasa wa wafacebook kwa picha na maelezo zaidi kuhusiana na Mkutano Mkuu uliofanyika tarehe 29, machi, 2014.

 Bonyenza kitufehapa

Women Coalition On Constitutionalism Rights For Women in Tanzania

December 17,2014

The Coalition of Women and Constitution held a one-day workshop with more than 30 community Radio editors to enhance their understanding of women’s rights issues in the Proposed Constitution.

TAMWA Executive Director, Valerie Msoka, who was one of facilitators, said TAMWA believes the media is a powerful vehicle for social change.

“The proposed constitution has looked at the plight of women in the past 53 years including, discrimitive laws, land issues, gender inequality and outdated culture and traditions and rectified these,” she said.

The coalition is made up of more than  50 Civil Society Organizations and Individual members who are defenders of Human Rights, especially women’s and Children’s rights; these includes Tanzania Media Women Association(TAMWA) Women Fund Tanzania (WFT), Tanzania Women Cross Party (TWCP)-ULINGO, , Tanzania Gender Networking Programme ( TGNP),  Tanzania Women Lawyers(TAWLA),Equality for Growth (EfG), Haki za Wanawake (HAWA), Kilimanjaro Women Information Exchange and Consultancy Organization (KWIECO), Shirikisho la Vyama vya Walemavu Tanzania (SHIVYAWATA), Tanzania Union Congress Tanzania (TUCTA), Tumaini Women Development Association (TUWODEA), Women Legal Aid Centre (WLAC), Zanzibar Gender Coalition(ZGC) na Wanawake wanaharakati binafsi.

July 19,2014

WOMEN COALITION ON CONSTITUTIONALISM RIGHTS FOR WOMEN MEETS WITH EDITORS

TAMWA Executive Director Ms Valerie Msoka talking to Editors from Tanzania media houses about  Women rights issues to be incorporated in the New Constitution during a meeting  between Women Coalition and editors held at TAMWA Resource Center  at Sinza Mori on Saturday July 19,2014.

 The Tanzania Media Women’s Association (TAMWA), in collaboration with the Women Coalition on Women’s Rights and Constitutionalism Rights in Tanzania met with editors from various media houses seeking their support in creating awareness on the women’s agenda in the new constitution. The meeting was held at TAMWA’s office in Dar es Salaam.

The meeting discussed issues that the Women Coalition seeks to address through the constitution, such as conflicting laws, norms and traditions which are affecting women’s access to basic human rights and the existence of discrimination and oppression against women and children, especially the girl child in our society.

 The coalition believes that redressing these issues will ensure that all Tanzanians, women and men, enjoy being part of a democratic society that respects human rights equality for all. This is because a constitution that is gender sensitive is built on principles of equality, dignity and respect for women and men and which will not allow for any form of discrimination and/ or oppression in the society.

 One of the member of Women Coalition in Constitutionalism Rights for Women, Dr Ave Maria Semakafu sharing Women's constitutional agenda that need editors attention during this time of constitution review process.

The Women Coalition also believes that the new constitution has the responsibility to ensure that all its action promotes and geared towards ensuring gender equality and empowering women as a means of achieving Tanzania’s goals of peace and security as well as a sustainable political, economic and social development.

 The Coalition consists of more than fifty organizations and individuals which defend women and human rights in Tanzania such as TAMWA, Equality for Growth (EFG), Tanzania Women Lawyer Association (TAWLA), Tanzania Gender Networking Programme (TGNP) and Tanzania Women Cross Party (TWCP-ULINGO).