Some Factors That Hinder Women Participation in Social, Political and Economic Activities in Tanzania

The reality of the women of southern Africa, including Tanzania, is that they remain a vulnerable marginalized group that is yet to enjoy equality in status and access to services and resources with their counterparts. Women are found at the “bottom rung of poverty, of illiteracy, of landlessness” and are concentrated in rural areas where facilities and services are scarce.

Women are the most affected by negative impacts of economic adjustment programmes. Cuts in social expenditure such as in health and education mostly affect women and girls who are victims of the worst forms of violence. The customary laws have given men more power and control over resources and decision-making processes, hence making the system both patriarchal and undemocratic. This has led to widely differing access to resources and decision-making processes, which is partly the reason why women’s socio-economic and political status remain low.