Vice-President Deogratius Ndejembi of Tanzania emphasized the importance of investing in women's leadership and participation in decision-making processes for building resilient societies and achieving sustainable development. He made these remarks while opening the Great Lakes Region Women Parliamentarians' Conference in Dar es Salaam. According to Ndejembi, women's involvement in peace and security processes is essential.
Ndejembi highlighted the critical role women play in building economies, leading communities, and driving development. He stressed that excluding women and girls from leadership and decision-making processes undermines not only their rights but also society's broader development prospects. The Vice-President encouraged lawmakers to ensure that women's concerns are reflected in legislation, public policies, and governance systems.
The conference heard that Tanzania has made progress in women's representation, with seven parliamentary standing committees chaired by women. These committees cover key areas such as foreign affairs, defence and security, public accounts, and education. Ndejembi also mentioned that the government is committed to implementing United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.
The resolution, adopted in 2000, calls for greater participation of women in conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and security processes. Tanzania has developed a National Action Plan to guide the implementation of the resolution. Ndejembi emphasized that investing in women means building strong societies and prosperous nations.
Democratic Republic of Congo Prime Minister Judith Tuluka urged African governments to translate commitments on women's rights into concrete action. She highlighted the disproportionate burden of violence and instability borne by women and girls in conflict-affected communities. Tuluka emphasized the need for increased participation of women in political decision-making, conflict prevention, and peacebuilding.
Other conference speakers, including Secretary-General of the Forum of Parliaments of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region Deo Mwapinga and Angolan Parliament Speaker Adao de Almeida, echoed similar sentiments. They pointed out challenges such as inadequate budget allocations, cultural practices, and weak accountability systems that undermine efforts to implement gender equality commitments.
The speakers called for greater involvement of parliamentarians, development partners, and other stakeholders in ensuring that commitments are backed by adequate resources and effective accountability mechanisms. They emphasized the need to move beyond representation to participation, influence, and leadership for women in decision-making institutions.
Key points
- Tanzania's Vice-President Deogratius Ndejembi calls for greater investment in women's leadership.
- Women's participation in peace and security processes is essential for sustainable development.
- African governments urged to translate commitments on women's rights into concrete action.
