TANZANIA has made significant progress in achieving economic justice for women as the country nears the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Conference, according to the Tanzania Gender Networking Programme (TGNP).

The Beijing Conference, (1995) which took place in China, was a major milestone in the global women's rights movement, bringing together delegates from around the world to address issues concerning women's rights and gender equality.

Flora Ndaba, TGNP’s acting head of programme, activism and movement building, gave the remarks in Dar es Salaam over the weekend during a student orientation session aimed at reflecting on the progress, challenges and future of gender equality in Tanzania after the conference.

She said through the active involvement of various partners to uphold women's rights, Tanzania has made impressive progress in securing economic justice for women despite encountering obstacles.

"Tanzania has made remarkable strides in advancing economic justice for women through a collective commitment to women's rights, The journey has not been without challenges, but the continued efforts of all involved have helped to break barriers and promote gender equality,” she said.

More on that, Tanzania’s adoption of the 4:4:2 economic strategy, which focuses on empowering key social groups, has been a significant step toward achieving more inclusive economic growth.

She added: "The 40 percent allocation of resources to women, youth, and 20 percent to people with disabilities, has reduced inequality and provided equal opportunities for all segments of society.”

According to her, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the country have played a pivotal role in supporting economic justice by addressing key issues of inequality, economic empowerment, and social inclusion such as advocacy and policy reform and economic empowerment programmes.

Men's hesitation to advocate for the girl-child agenda can be linked to various factors, with victimization being a key concern, Flora stressed.

“Men often victimize themselves in the context of women’s rights and gender equality by internalizing societal expectations and rigid gender norms. As a result, when men engage in or support causes related to women’s empowerment,  they can feel like they are betraying these expectations.”

Nasra Mohammed, a student at the main campus of St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT), highlighted that women's empowerment efforts have been effectively managed in accordance with the resolutions established during the Beijing conference.

"Beijing's resolutions called for a world where gender-based violence is eradicated and women are empowered to reach their full potential. We see initiatives put in place to stop the problem and we acknowledge it,” said Nasra.

Irene Ng’umbi, a nursing student from Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) University said Tanzania has successfully extended reproductive health education to rural communities, ensuring that even remote areas have access to vital information and resources to promote better health outcomes.

In 2025, the global community will celebrate three decades since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. This landmark framework, endorsed by 189 countries, remains a blueprint for achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls worldwide.