FEMINIST MOVEMENT

Introduction and Definition

The feminist movement (also known as the women's liberation movement, the women's movement, or feminism) refers to a series of campaigns for reforms on issues such as reproductive rights domestic violence maternity leave, equal rights sexual harrassement and sexual violence all of which fall under the label of feminism. The movement's priorities vary among nations and communities and range from opposition to female genital mutilation in one country to opposition to the glass ceiling in another.

Types and Roles of Feminist Movements in Tanzania

Tanzania Women Lawyers Association (TAWLA)

Tanzania Women Lawyers Association (TAWLA) is an NGO founded in 1989 and officially registered in 1990. The founding members comprised a professional group of women lawyers who felt the need for an organization that could promote an environment guaranteeing equal rights and access to all by focusing on vulnerable and marginalised groups especially women and children. The founding members also recognised the need for women lawyers to foster mutual support for each other in professional advancement and social responsibility. TAWLA has more than 570 members.

TAWLA is dedicated to the ideal of lifelong learning for women through the advocacy of civil rights, social justice, transparency, integrity, respect, gender equity, good governance and accountability. TAWLA’s vision envisage a society that respects and upholds human rights.

It's Mission is commitment to the professional advancement of its members and the promotion of women and children’s rights and good governance.

Tanzania Media Women Association (TAMWA)

TAMWA as a feminist movement in Tanzania was formed to replace Umoja Wa Wanawake Tanganyika (UWT) in an attempt to achieve gender equity. TAMWA has challenged and reshaped patriarchal government policies and laws of the ruling elites and their regime with assistance of gender-empowered media advocacy.

TAMWA was officially launched and registered in 1987 to stir up a positive picture of women in the media and to lift up standards of female journalists for them to influence the fast-growing media industry in Tanzania. The roles of TAMWA are as follows:

First, TAMWA creates a unique and efficient gender media advocacy feminist movement which is systematically mainstreamed in all major public and private media outlets. TAMWA does not own media tools but they forman efficient network of journalists to cover issues relevant to gender equity. As they adhere to professional standards and work ethics, they, as a teamworking for different companies, use their individual creativity to produce quality gender-sensitive information for both the market and the Tanzanian public.

TAMWA’s critical role in Tanzania’s feminist movement is to a large extent attributed to recent  developments in communication technology and media fuelled by the mushrooming private sector. Like Tanzania’s feminist movement, the media has been autonomous and lively since the early 1990s.

The second notable role is that TAMWA has served as a stable and reliable forum for Tanzanian women journalists. In particular, the strong visionary leadership of the founders of TAMWA served as an attraction to a significant number of devout female journalists to join the organization and be part of Tanzania’s feminist movement. In an industry dominated by men and in a patriarchal society, TAMWA has served as a platform to allow female journalists to get mentored and to have a unified voice for women’s empowerment. The organization provides protection to female journalists who would otherwise become victimized as individuals followed by a subsequent departure from the profession. 

SWAI JOAN