Introduction
Traditionally
the position of women in Tanzania has been low compared to men. Women were not
expected to influence the decision-making processes from domestic level to the
national level. In the family attitudes, which consider men as heads of
households, exists. These attitudes are rigidly based on patriarchal
structures, which limit women voices from influencing allocation of domestic
resources. At national level, the existing attitudes influence the election and
appointment of women to high profile positions and hence limit women’s voices
from impacting decision making and the planning process, (URT 2003).
DEFINITION
OF KEY TERMS
Status
is
simply defined as a position occupied by a person, family or kinship in social
system relative to others this determine right, duties other behaviors
including nature and extent of the
relationship with person of other status, (Shankarrao, 2006).
Status
is the place in a particular system, which a certain individual occupies at a
particular time, ( Ralph Linton, 1945).
Type
of status
Ascribed
status; these are those over which the individual has
absolutely choice, they are derived from membership in involuntary groups such
as sex group, age group, racial group this is derived at the beginning stages
of socialization itself the new born individual derives such status.
Achieved
status; the statuses about which a person has some
choices, however much or little achieved status
Ester
Boserup Danish economist born on May 18, 1910 and die
September 24, 1999, in Copenhagen. She studied economic and agricultural
development, worked at the United Nations as well as other international organizations, and she wrote
several books. Her most notable book is The
Conditions of Agricultural Growth, The Economics of Agrarian Change under
Population Pressure.
Ester Boserup identified African Countries where
women work to produce food, crops for domestic substance and men work in
production of cash crops for market sale, the following are the status
of women in Tanzania.
The
constitution recognizes women‘s capacity and the right to participate in
politics, social and economic life of the country. The right
to vote and the right to stand for election are provided equally for men and
women. This was practiced successfully in the 2000 general elections. This is a
clear indication that there is a conducive environment for women to participate
freely and equally with men in politics and decision making in Tanzania.
Access to employment, in formal sector in Tanzania is
determines women’s economic empowerment as well. Currently, formal sector
employment for women in Tanzania is satisfiable, as it accounts for total
employment. The Ministry of Community Development Gender and Children (2005)
revealed that the proportion of women in the formal employment rose from 15% in
2009 to 24.7% in 2012, (URT 2013).
Equal
access to land ownership, the land and Village Act of 1999 provides equal access to landownership However, in matters of family land,
particularly related to matters of inheritance, customary law has been allowed
to function, (URT, 1999). Previously this act seemed to be neglected but
currently the act is getting momentum by
the support of re amended land Act no. 2 of 2004 which explaining and make more
emphasis in the right of women to own land, hence rise the status of women of
being socially recognized.
Participation in decision making, previously in Tanzania women's
participation in decision making at both the household and community level was
minimal as shown by a study in Iringa and Kagera regions (Nkhoma-Wamunza et al
1989). In the seven villages surveyed men dominated in decision making. They
were the ones who decided on how much land should be allocated to the growing
of different crops, how much money should be spent on the purchase of tools of
production and farm inputs, and how much labour should be invested in the
different crops grown.
Decisions on the application of fertilizer,
insecticides; sale of farm produce acquisition of loans, and issues related to
money were made by men. But to some extent the situation has been changed
particularly in urban areas where by women have access to stay with their
husbands and deciding what to do.
Women Participation in Political
Processes, the
first cabinet of Tanganyika after independence did not have a female holding a
full ministerial position. Only two women were appointed as Deputy Ministers
that is Bibi Titi Deputy Minister of Health while Lucy Lameck was first
appointed as a Parliamentary Secretary of Cooperatives and Community
Development from 1962 -1965 (URT, 2005).
But at present women have a good
position in political participation where by many of them are district
commissioners, members of the parliament, and International representatives in
different sectors. This reveals the rise of women status.
Educational enrolment, in Tanzania, free primary
education has led to more girls being educated, at least at the primary level.
With fees placed on schools, it is much more likely that a family will
invest in boys. While only about 1 percent of people in Tanzania go on to
higher education, and most of them come from the wealthiest sliver of the
population, about 30 percent of these students are now women. Government
loan programs have helped less advantaged students get to universities, but
funds are generally fairly scarce.
Social
Justice, the Government of Tanzania recognizes that women’s
advancement and achievement of gender equality are a matter of human rights and
a condition to social justice. The Government of Tanzania reaffirms its
commitment to enhancement of women’s rights for national and world progress.
The Government has ractified the convention on the elimination of all forms of
Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Furthermore, the Government of Tanzania
reaffirms its commitment to the Beijing Platform for Action that upholds the
Convention for total elimination of all kinds of discrimination against women
and all other international human rights instruments calling for gender
equality. Promotion of women participation in politics and decision making is
among the four critical areas of concern for Tanzania.
Conclusion
Currently
the statuses of women in Tanzania have been improved after the Beijing
conference, that there have been significant achievements in the implementation
of the Beijing Platform for Action. In the first four critical areas that the
government identified a number of policies, laws and programmes were put in
place to create an environment that would ensure that women’s position moves
from that of marginalization to that of partnership, dignity and equality
(URT, 2005).
References
Nkhoma Wamunza A, Muchen, K, Darah C. and Saur G.
(1989), “Africa Index to continental
Literature Lagos Scientific
Publishers”, Nigeria
Ralph Linton 1945, “the cultural background of personality”, 5th Edition
New York USA
Shankarrao
C.N. (2006), Sociology “Principles of Sociology with introduction
to social
thoughts” 6th
Edition Schad and Co. Ltd
URT
(1999), The village Act 1999, Government Publishers Ltd.
URT (2003) Country Report On Implementation Of The Beijing Platform of Action
URT
(2OO5), Women participation in positions
of power and influence in Tanzania,
Government Printers Dar Es Salaam.
URT, (2005), Country Report on the Implementation of
the Beijing Platform for Action and The
Outcome document of the Twenty-third Special Session of the General
Assembly- Beijing,
Government Printers, Dar Es Salaam.
Retrieved
on http://www.
dictionary.reference.com/browse/status/27th March, 2014.
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