July 31, 2024 | Dodoma, Tanzania
A team of local PEP researchers held a national policy conference to share their findings on how to promote women’s economic empowerment in Tanzania through gender-responsive macro-level policies.
July 31, 2024 – A team of local PEP researchers organised a national policy conference to share their findings on how investing in infrastructure and targeted wage subsidies can boost women’s economic empowerment in Tanzania.
Recognising the importance of women’s economic empowerment for social and economic development, more than 25 policymakers and stakeholders came together to hear the project team’s findings and recommendations.
Key policy stakeholders in attendance included two members of the Parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania who are responsible for gender issues in the country, as well as representatives of the Ministries of Finance and of Community Development, Gender and Children.
Other attendees included the Directors of social and child-focused NGOs (Saada Foundation and Kisedet, respectively), a representative of a poverty alleviation NGO (REPOA), academics from the University of Dodoma where the event was held, and multiple journalists.
Team members Dr Asiya Maskaeva and Ms Mgeni Msafiri (pictured below) presented the findings and recommendations from their PEP project: For macro-level gender-responsive policy solutions that can promote women’s economic empowerment in Tanzania.
They shared how reducing public administration spending, rather than increasing indirect taxes, to finance a 25% payroll tax rate subsidy in the formal sector is likely to have the greatest benefit for both women’s employment and GDP growth. They also highlighted the importance of targeted road infrastructure investments for reducing informality, reducing poverty, increasing women’s labour market participation and stimulating economic growth.
A lively discussion session followed the presentation, with participants highlighting areas for further research and suggesting further audiences for the team’s findings. “Targeting different groups of women who are the main beneficiaries of the studied policies would enhance their understanding of the status quo and motivate them to participate in community gatherings to propose gender-based solutions to their challenges,” said Hon. Fatma H. Toufiq, Chairperson of the Parliament Standing Committee on Social Welfare and Community.
Underlining the public interest in boosting women's economic empowerment, journalists from TBC (Tanzania’s national public broadcaster) and Azam Television Services (an East African cable and streaming service) reported from the event, while further interviews and news articles about the research project were broadcast and published in the days that followed.
The research team organised the event with financial and advisory support from PEP as part of the Macro-level policy solutions to promote women's economic empowerment in Africa program.
