UNIFEM Programme in Tanzania

The United Nations Development Fund for Women - UNIFEM's strategic objectives are to strengthen women's economic security, eliminate violence against women, reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS among women, and achieve gender equality in democratic governance.  Between 2004 and 2007, UNIFEM provided support to the Ministry of Gender, Community  Development Gender and Children ,  East African Community, Tanzania Gender Networking  Programme and Tanzania Women in Media ‘s Association, on gender mainstreaming strategies, gender budgeting and advocacy for women’s political rights. UNIFEM was involved in the development to the UNDAF (2007-2010) and is currently part of the one UN Pilot. It is committed to strengthening its support to Tanzania through its programme activities and has integrated its resources into the One UN Programme. UNIFEM will participate in 3 joint programmes, HIV/AIDS, Zanzibar and National Capacity building.

UNIFEM’s programme focuses on gender equality and women's empowerment and mainstreaming gender into the work of the UN system through:

(a) Rights Based Approach to programming

An emphasis on a right based approach to programming which defines women as rights holders who need capacity building to enable them claim their rights and hold the state as duty bearer accountable to its obligation to implement international (CEDAW) instruments and national commitments to gender equality and women’s rights. Gender equality targets are also clearly stated in the Tanzania mainland National Strategy for Growth and reduction of Poverty (MKUKUTA) and the Zanzibar Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (MKUZA).

(b) Principle of Participation and Ownership by Tanzanian Women

UNIFEM will use its resources and expertise in gender analysis to facilitate the articulation of Tanzania women’s needs hopes, aspirations and recommendations in the one UN Joint Programmes. UNIFEM will enhance and promote political awareness  by sensitizing women  on the role of parliamentarians  and  how to  utilise  their representatives in decision making spaces to demand accountability for the  elimination of  violence against women, increased participation in  governance structures and access to economic resources.  Support will also be provided to relevant Ministries in the mainland and Zanzibar to implement the gender polices and strategies in the context of new aid modalities and UN reform. Support will include technical advice on mainstreaming gender in the macro-economic policies as well as sharing information from regional programmes through exchange visits, training and capacity building on gender mainstreaming strategies and gender responsive policy dialogue.  In addition, UNIFEM will build on its long relationship with Tanzanian women’s organizations including supporting research on women involved in cross border trade.  UNIFEM has also focused the 2007 Trust Fund on Violence Against Women on Tanzania.  UNIFEM will also work with UN Agencies, Ministries of Gender and CSOs to develop a partnership for addressing gender-based violence, sexual harassment, HIV & AIDS Stigma, and discrimination and other related socio-cultural barriers to women’s ability to claim their rights.

(c) Gender Responsive Budgeting

UNIFEM will collaborate with UNDP, UNCDF, UNFPA and ILO to broaden the on going gender Budgeting initiative work with TGNP by promoting gender analysis in the Budgeting and Public Expenditure Review dialogue process. UNIFEM will also work with ILO to support capacity building on gender budgeting and employment strategies at local government level as a strategy for increasing resources for gender programming

The UNIFEM, team in Tanzania consists of a Programme Manager and Programme specialist with expertise and competencies in gender analysis, gender mainstreaming strategies and programming for women’s human rights. UNIFEM also participates actively and collaborates with the UN Interagency Gender Group (IAGG); UN Interagency Programme Committee (IAPC); Resident Coordination office Cluster Advisers; UN Country Management Team; Gender Mainstreaming Working on Macro-economic policies; Development Partners Gender Working Group; and FemAct Coalition.