Women Empowerment

The government of Tanzania has progressively taken measures towards gender equality. Having signed international agreements for women's rights, Tanzania has committed itself to empowering women in the economic, politi­cal and social sphere. Despite these efforts, the access to decision-making, higher education and employment for women remains difficult. The discrimi­nation and violence against women prevent them from demanding their rights and partici­pating in key areas of society.

The FES aims to overcome these obstacles in order to close the gender gap. For FES, gender equality is a human right and a prerequisite for democracy. Furthermore, the participation of women is a chance to bring forward the democratic process and development in Tanzania. Therefore, the FES works on complementing government efforts in empowering women in collabora­tion with selected local civil society organisations and government institu­tions.

One of the major areas of the FES work is the legal representation of wo­men. To ensure access to human and civil rights, the FES raises awareness and trains paralegal units to provide legal services, especially in rural areas. These qualified paralegals advocate for women and other marginalised groups. This includes free consultation in questions like land and property rights, inheritance and divorce. In addition, the FES promotes the participa­tion of women in elections. Female candidates are trained in leadership skills, campaigning and ethics. Furthermore, gender equality is considered in all of the FES projects.