Children Care Development Organization is hereby to announce the winners of essay competition for Secondary Schools of Iringa Region in Tanzania under support from the funded project of “increasing women awareness on good governance in Tanzania” by the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF). The essay competition was as follows; despite the presence of movements for women equality in the world, still women are not actively participating in different leadership activities in Tanzania. The school student competitors were required to explain why women are still behind in participating and contesting in leadership positions even after celebration of 50 years of Tanzania independence, what should be done to promote and increase the number of women who are fully participating in leadership activities in Tanzania? Please see the presented essay of the first winner Ms Shindo Sungura, 19 years, Form V, female, student from Iringa Girls Secondary in front of the Minister of Community Development, Gender and Children honourable Minister Sophia Simba (MP) of the United Republic of Tanzania and each winner was awarded a computer under sponsorship from the African Women Development Fund (AWDF) in Ghana. See her  photo above and her essay below;

In 1979 the organization called “CEDAW” was formed. This organization stated discrimination against women as gender based discrimination which hinders the exercise of human right. And the most notable conference for women – movements toward their right that held in Beijing China in 1995, the conference stimulated women especially in Tanzania to demand for their right from that time there is the presence of movement for women equality in the world.

In fact that since before independence there is no equity between male and female but after independence women are not more discriminated due to different reasons like the above one. But still 2011 (year after celebration of 50 years of Tanzania independence) women most of them are not actively participating in different leadership. And this is because of the following reasons;

Family accountability, as it seemed that women are the one who are responsible for child care than man as it become hardly for them to participate in leadership activities and contesting. For instance child care for teaching good behaviour.

Religious beliefs, this also aware some for women to participate in leadership activity because of worship of a certain religion. For instance it seemed in Quran (102:13-17) that women are not allowed to talk in front of majority especially a place where there is men, when they do so, they will enter at “JEHANAM”. So until nowadays Muslims use Quran and worship on this. By so doing that the women become very difficulty to participate in leadership for fear to going against the written document.

Low level of education, practically it seemed that women are not well educated than male because of beliefs in traditional wares from their relatives. In Tanzania there are few educated women but after 50 years of independence of Tanzania many women are still studying because in order to be a leader of Tanzania even in parliament members you must have degrees, masters and so force. By doing so now days women are studying for aiming of competition. In this case women become difficult on participating and contesting leadership because leadership needs a person who has education.

Lack of well confidence, also practically seemed that women have not confidence means they have not an ability of expressing themselves as it make them to fear that they can’t talk anything in front of majority. For instance in Iringa Girls Secondary School, when Tosamaganga High School came in our school and pointed one among of the girl to talk anything, she was shivering and nothing to talk. In this case women cannot participate in leadership because when you will be a leader, you must talk in front.

Based on hog-wash slogan, also this make aware some for women to participate in leadership because of different slogan, example “WANAWAKE TUKIWEZESHWA TUNAWEZA”, this make women to become laziness, they just wait for to be financed, when they are not financed it means they cannot do anything as well as not participating in leadership because without financed in chances of leadership means they cannot participate and contesting on it.

Financial problems, this also make difficult for a women to participate and contesting on leadership because of the tariffs enter in competition. For instance when you need to compete in members of parliament you must pay amount of money for getting a form. By so doing that there are women who have education but they don’t have money for getting form of engaging. Also this make a women not participating in leadership because even after celebration of 50 years of Tanzanian independence still form of leadership are selling.

Nevertheless those women are not participating and contesting in leadership because of not only the above reason, but also there are many other like traditional beliefs, the women are not homage women, negative attitude and so on.

The following are the ways of promoting and increase the number of women who are fully participating in leadership activity in Tanzania under the concept of increasing women awareness on good governance in Tanzania. And this ways based on women themselves because there are improvements made by government to women awareness even during and after celebration of Tanzania independence but still women are not participating in leadership example education, seats for women in parliament.

Women should participate in political matters, this can some how make a woman to feel openly to participate on leadership. For instance provide 15% of the seats for women in the parliament chances. In this case women should participate in political matters because chances are there.

Government should enroll the women student, the enroll of women students should concerned all levels of education in the lowest level to the highest level. For instance enrolling is for university women students, how about ordinary and advanced level, all of them government should enroll so as to make them very easy to get education and easy to participate and contesting in leadership.

Women should not follow some slogans which are made them become laziness. In Tanzania there are equity between males and females. Males are not financed and still they are well participating and contesting in leadership, why women be financed even that there is equity. In this case women and government should stop this.

Men should homage a women, also encourage the women to participate in leadership because when women seem Anna Makinda (Speaker of Tanzanian Parliament) hot homage with the member of parliament some time discourage a women to participate. So men should homage a woman.