STAKEHOLDERS in the innovation sector have been urged to intensify efforts in promoting female innovators to boost their participation in economic activities.

Felister Mdemu, deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups, made the appeal in Dar es Salaam over the weekend during the closing session of the Tanzania Hub Network (THN)’s working meeting.

Mdemu highlighted the limited involvement of girls in innovation, stressing the importance of utilising THN’s platform to create initiatives that foster women's economic engagement.

She emphasized that the efforts would help advance Tanzania’s commitments to gender equality, particularly through the Generation Equality Forum (GEF), which focuses on economic justice and rights.

Tanzania has pledged to implement GEF initiatives, adopted in 2021, by prioritizing investments in gender-responsive public and private services, promoting decent work for women, and improving women’s access to productive resources.

The deputy PS said to support the goals, the country has launched the Tanzania Generation Equality Programme (TGEP) 2021-2026, a multisectoral initiative designed to guide public, private, and civil society organisations in advancing economic justice and rights.

Led by the Ministries in charge of gender in mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, the TGEP embodies a robust strategy to elevate the lives of Tanzanian women and girls. By bolstering justice and economic equality, the initiative ensures inclusivity, also engaging men and boys in nation-building endeavours.

This has been all possible through the establishment of the National Advisory Committee led by Hon. Angellah Kairuki, reinforced by the appointment of dedicated officers from council levels, regional secretariats and ministries responsible for managing the execution of justice and economic equality in their areas.

Lilian Mwamdanga, programme specialist for women’s economic empowerment at UN Women Tanzania commended Tanzania’s commitment to gender equality.

“The country’s dedication to advancing economic justice and rights serves as a remarkable example for others,” she noted. “We recognize the significance of innovations that tackle deep-rooted gender inequalities, as outlined by the GEF commitments.”

THN chairman, Kiko Kiwanga pledged to support the government’s gender equality initiatives. 

“We will utilize funding from the Funguo Programme to build the capacity of technical assistants who will assist women in these efforts,” he said.