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Sweden gives UN extra USD 6.4 million for development activities in Tanzania
The Swedish Embassy in Tanzania has signed an agreement with the United Nations in Tanzania whereby Sweden contributes an additional USD 6.4 million
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Sweden gives UN extra USD 6.4 million for development activities in Tanzania
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Story
27 July 2021
The first batch of COVAX arrives in Tanzania at the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam
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Press Release
27 July 2021
THE SECRETARY-GENERAL - VIDEO MESSAGE TO FOOD SYSTEMS PRE-SUMMIT Rome, 26 July 2021
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Story
22 July 2021
UNESCO Assesses the Implementation and Effectiveness of the Re-Entry Policy on Pregnant learners in Zanzibar.
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The Sustainable Development Goals in Tanzania
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Tanzania:
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05 May 2021
Midwives save more than just lives
Agnes Ndunguru is a midwife in Tanzania. She is also a holder of a Super Woman Award, presented to her by the then Vice President H.E. Samia Suluhu Hassan on International Women’s Day in 2019. She says she has witnessed many healthy and happy deliveries, but she also remembers the mothers and children who didn’t make it. She becomes visibly upset as she remembers a mother of three children who died during childbirth due to post-partum haemorrhaging. “As she took her last breath, she looked into my eyes and cried, ‘Midwife, my children, my children….’ That incident lives with me to this day.”
Agnes says that there are many challenges that make her job difficult – stockouts of life-saving, maternal health medicines, power outages and a lack of the equipment needed to assist mothers and newborns during and after delivery. But Agnes says she was born a midwife and is dedicated to her job.
Today – 5 May – we join hands with midwives in Tanzania and around the world to commemorate International Day of the Midwife. We celebrate nurse-midwives like Agnes, and the thousands of nurse-midwives like her in Tanzania, and thank them for their hard work, day in and day out, which is contributing to healthier families, more productive communities and to a more robust health system in Tanzania.
This years’ commemorations – with the global theme “Follow the data: Invest in Midwives” – coincide with the launch of the State of the World’s Midwifery Report 2021,[1] co-led by the International Confederation of Midwives, UNFPA and the World Health Organization (WHO), which brings the latest data on the return on investment in midwives. The evidence is clear: investment in midwives is a cost-effective approach to improving health outcomes for mothers and babies and reducing maternal and neonatal mortality and stillbirths. Data indicates that universal coverage of midwife-delivered interventions could avert 67 percent of maternal deaths, 64 percent of neonatal deaths and 65 percent of stillbirths, allowing 4·3 million lives around the globe to be saved annually by 2035.
But it is not just about saving lives; midwives are the key to achieving Tanzania’s Vision 2025 and the ambitious sustainable development goals (SDGs), as emphasized by Feddy Mwanga, President, Tanzania Midwives Association (TAMA):
“Midwives not only improve the chance of a safe pregnancy and delivery, but also provide the full continuum of care throughout women and adolescents’ lives. By doing so, they play a key role in the empowerment of women and building equitable, inclusive and sustainable societies.”
As part of the day’s commemorations a symposium, “Midwives save lives: Invest in midwives” will take place in Dar-es-Salaam, led by TAMA, in collaboration with the School of Nursing at Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences and the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children (MoHCDEC). UNFPA has provided technical support for the symposium, which is funded by WHO and Global Affairs Canada, who, under Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy, is supporting efforts in Tanzania to strengthen health systems and improve the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls, including a reduction in the numbers of preventable maternal, infant and child deaths.
“Investment in midwives needs to include not just investment in their numbers, but investments in their education, ongoing training, regulation, and working environment,” said Pamela O’Donnell, High Commissioner of Canada in Tanzania. “If these investments are made they will be able to achieve their full life-saving, health-improving, system-strengthening potential.”
UNFPA is the lead UN agency supporting efforts under the leadership of the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania, and in partnership with TAMA, to build a competent, well-trained and well-supported midwifery workforce. In addition to our technical support to improve midwifery education, training and regulations, we have also supported the renovation of maternity wards at 55 health facilities and the construction of 16 youth-friendly facilities. Facilities have also been equipped and staff are receiving on-going, on-the-job training to provide comprehensive reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (RMNCAH) services, including emergency obstetric and newborn care.
International Day of the Midwife is a time to express gratitude to Tanzania’s midwives and UNFPA extends its deepest appreciation to every midwife across the country for all that they do, every day. It is also an opportunity to look to the future – as the deadline for the SDGs draws ever nearer – and be guided by the data to determine what investments are needed in in Tanzania to enable nurse-midwives to realize their significant contributions towards achieving national and global development aspirations.
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17 March 2021
Giving girls in Tanzania a today and tomorrow
Glory* didn’t attend secondary school; she became pregnant at the age of 13 after completing her primary education. She says she felt worthless and her dreams for the future ‘flew away’. She wasn’t aware of any of the dangers of giving birth at such a young age, but she knew all too well about the stigma surrounding early pregnancy and that she would not be able to continue going to school.
Every day in developing countries, 20,000 girls under the age of 18 give birth. This amounts to 7.3 million births a year. And if all pregnancies are included, not just births, the number of adolescent pregnancies is much higher. In Tanzania, teenage pregnancy has increased over the last decade, with nearly one in four girls becoming pregnant or giving birth to their first child by the age of 18 – with wide rural and urban and regional disparities.[1] Adolescent pregnancy is generally not the result of a deliberate choice – girls often have little or no say over decisions affecting their bodies and lives – and early childbirth is a consequence – as is the case for Glory – of inequalities; of peer and social pressures and a lack of access to age-appropriate sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights education, information and services.
UNFPA is working to address these issues in Tanzania by focusing on the protection and fulfilment of girls’ rights, including supporting and advocating for comprehensive sexuality education – in a context where there are still taboos and barriers to discussions around young people’s sexual and reproductive health – and expanding access to sexual and reproductive health care and information at adolescent-friendly health corners. In Shinyanga, where Glory lives, UNFPA is supporting Adolescent Girls Clubs – which target some of the furthest behind and vulnerable adolescent girls, building their knowledge, skills, self-confidence, and social networks and supporting them to challenge existing gender inequities and realize a different tomorrow – a more equal future.
It’s been five months now since Glory was invited to join the Adolescent Girls Club in Shilela, Msalala district council, Shinyanga, by her village leader – one of five such clubs supporting 124 out-of-school girls with life skills and entrepreneurship training in the region through the UNFPA-UN Women Joint Programme funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). Glory, who is now on a vocational training course, says that she has learnt many things at the club including that she has the right to make decisions about her body and that no one should force her into having unwanted or unprotected sex. But the most important thing she has learnt, she says, is self-worth and confidence. She now feels that she has a chance to compete as an equal with her friends who went to secondary school.
Glory – and her peers at the girls club – hope for a future where girls can pursue their goals and remain in school and be treated as equals to boys and men in the community. They are aware of the deeply-rooted social and cultural norms that could challenge their dreams, but they are optimistic. Glory says her family have changed their attitudes, particularly her father, and are now supportive of her younger sister’s ambition to become a midwife; she hears similar encouraging stories from her friends at the girls’ clubs. They are hopeful that this change will be seen in every household in their village, and in nearby villages and in the villages next to these, and beyond.
The future that Glory and her friends – and many like them in Tanzania – are working so hard to realize is the same future that UNFPA Tanzania wants for all women and girls and young people – a future of equal opportunities and healthy, independent choices. As we move through the Decade of Action for Sustainable Development, UNFPA Tanzania will continue to put young people – adolescent girls and boys – at the centre of efforts to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, and continue to support activities like Adolescent Girls Clubs that give girls like Glory the opportunity to realize their potential, as well as the confidence to speak up and speak out.
* Name has been changed.
[1] Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey 2015/16.
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06 March 2021
Women supporting women through Knowledge Centres in Shinyanga
Milka says she first visited the Knowledge Centre in her village Malito, in Msalala District, Shinyanga Region, Tanzania, because she is naturally curious and likes to know what is going on in her community! What she has learnt there since, she says, together with the support she receives from the community leader/animator and fellow women members, has changed and reshaped her outlook on life particularly her understanding of gender-based violence (GBV) and the different forms it can take.
“I personally accepted the behaviour of my husband selling the harvest that we had worked so hard together to produce. Many a time he would go into town and come back home with empty pockets several days later,” says Milka.
Loyce tells a similar story. She was selected as one of the animators at the Knowledge Centre and now leads outreach activities where she educates and provides information on women and girl’s rights. She passionately believes that her own daughter and others deserve a better future, but admits that the thought of gender equality at times seems a distant dream. “Sometimes I think it [gender equality] is impossible, but at the Knowledge Centre you meet other people with similar thoughts and I believe that if we support each other, together we can make it happen.”
The Knowledge Centre in Malito is one of two established in Shinyanga Region[1] under the three-year Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) funded UNFPA-UN Women Joint Programme. Activities under the project aim to advance gender equality efforts and ensure that rural women and girls in Ikungi District, Singida Region, and Msasala, Shinyanga, are not left behind. Milka explains that the centre provides a safe community space where women discuss many things about GBV and harmful practices, gender equality, women’s rights, the importance of eliminating discrimination against girls as well as participating in leadership and political activities.
Loyce is passionate about women and girls’ rights, she says it has been her struggle for some time, and she jumped at the chance to be a leader at the Knowledge Centre. She is also a member of the Ward Children and Women’s Protection Committee - seven ward-level and 25 village-level protection committees have been set up in the Msalala district council of Shinyanga under the project to date - where she has received training to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls. She recalls the story of her neighbour’s daughter, aged 13, who was going to be married after school closed for the holidays. The daughter’s mother had been attending sessions at the knowledge centre and knew about the harmful impacts of child marriage. She asked Loyce to come with her to speak with her husband; the proposal to marry the daughter was rejected the same day. Loyce also personally knows a number of other girls whose families have rejected marriage proposals because they now understand the importance and right of their daughters, like their sons, to continue their education.
Although it is early days the centre only opened in October 2020 Loyce says these are promising signs, Milka is similarly optimistic. She once dreamed of becoming a nurse but was married at an early age, and it is this that gives her the energy to continue educating her community. “I don't want to just come and listen at the centre and go back home”, Milka asserts, “I want women and girls to have opportunities. I don’t wish for them to go through the pains and challenges I went through.” Loyce nods in agreement and says she too is working day and night to support women and girls to protect and claim their rights.
Women in Tanzania and of the world want and deserve an equal future, free from stigma, stereotypes and violence; a future that’s sustainable, peaceful, with equal rights and opportunities for all. To get us there, the world needs women like Loyce and Milka. Today as we commemorate International Women’s Day, with its theme “Women in Leadership: Achieving an Equal Future”, UNFPA celebrates the accomplishments of Loyce and Milka and the tremendous efforts of many other women and girls in Tanzania who are committed to shaping a better future. As we advance through the Decade of Delivery for Sustainable Development, UNFPA will continue to support women and girls as leaders, change-makers and role models in their families and communities, and support investments in services and initiatives that protect and uphold their rights so that together we can deliver on our 2030 vision of a gender-equal world.
[1] UNFPA Tanzania has also supported the establishment of 10 knowledge centres in five regions of Tanzania – Kigoma, Mara, Tanga, Dodoma, Manyara.
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27 July 2021
The first batch of COVAX arrives in Tanzania at the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam
The Minister for Health, Social Welfare, Gender, Elders and Children, Hon. Dr Dorothy Gwajima (in Yellow) Minister of Foreign Affairst and East African Cooperation, Hon. Ambassador Liberata Mulamula (Centre),. US Ambassador in Tanzania, Hon. Dr Donald Wright, WHO Representative,Hon Dr. Tighest Mengestu(far right), Unicef Country Representative, Hon. Shalini Bahuguna(far lest) display COVAX leaflets shortly after receiving 1,058,400 Covid-19 doses during a short ceremony held at the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam on Saturday.
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22 July 2021
UNESCO Assesses the Implementation and Effectiveness of the Re-Entry Policy on Pregnant learners in Zanzibar.
UNESCO commissioned a study to assess the implementation and effectiveness of the Re-Entry Policy on Pregnant learners in Zanzibar, to investigate gaps for intervention and areas for improvement. The two-day meeting included directors from the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training-MoEVT and educational stakeholders.
The guest of honor was Hon. Simai Said, the Minister of Education and Vocational Training in Zanzibar. In his comments, Hon Said urged the ministry to support initiatives that would raise public awareness on the re-entry policy which refers to girls returning to school after giving birth. He added that, “As we are working on this matter, we need to find ways to combat the problem of young people getting pregnant while in school.” According to data from the Registrar of Education, a total of 646 girls became pregnant from 2005 to 2020 in Zanzibar. Within this group, 190 learners were in upper primary level between ages 13 to 16; 452 at Ordinary Secondary and 4 were at the Advance level of secondary education aged 16 to 18.
The Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar (RGoZ) reiterated its commitment through highlighting the “Educational policy of 2006” on preventing adolescent girls from getting pregnant and which ensures pregnant school girls return after delivery. Some of the key findings from this assessment revealed there was low awareness and understanding of the Re-entry policy among students, parents, and pregnant adolescent learners. The Ministry of Education has established Inclusive Education and Life Skills Unit and Office of Education Registrar which are key players in the implementation of the policy.
Some key recommendations given to effectively implement the re-entry to school policy include the need to review the existing Education Policy and realign it with the current situation, society demands and findings from the re-entry policy assessment. For example to develop national guidelines for the implementation, conduct needs assessment on what to include, strengthen guidance and counselling services at School, and support multi-sectoral collaboration to promote retention of pregnant girls in schools. Mr. Tirso Dos Santos, the UNESCO Representative to Tanzania said, “UNESCO recognizes and commends government efforts through MoEVT, for putting in place conducive policy environment and structures that facilitate all school age children to enroll and complete their studies.”
The guest of honor was Hon. Simai Said, the Minister of Education and Vocational Training in Zanzibar. In his comments, Hon Said urged the ministry to support initiatives that would raise public awareness on the re-entry policy which refers to girls returning to school after giving birth. He added that, “As we are working on this matter, we need to find ways to combat the problem of young people getting pregnant while in school.” According to data from the Registrar of Education, a total of 646 girls became pregnant from 2005 to 2020 in Zanzibar. Within this group, 190 learners were in upper primary level between ages 13 to 16; 452 at Ordinary Secondary and 4 were at the Advance level of secondary education aged 16 to 18.
The Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar (RGoZ) reiterated its commitment through highlighting the “Educational policy of 2006” on preventing adolescent girls from getting pregnant and which ensures pregnant school girls return after delivery. Some of the key findings from this assessment revealed there was low awareness and understanding of the Re-entry policy among students, parents, and pregnant adolescent learners. The Ministry of Education has established Inclusive Education and Life Skills Unit and Office of Education Registrar which are key players in the implementation of the policy.
Some key recommendations given to effectively implement the re-entry to school policy include the need to review the existing Education Policy and realign it with the current situation, society demands and findings from the re-entry policy assessment. For example to develop national guidelines for the implementation, conduct needs assessment on what to include, strengthen guidance and counselling services at School, and support multi-sectoral collaboration to promote retention of pregnant girls in schools. Mr. Tirso Dos Santos, the UNESCO Representative to Tanzania said, “UNESCO recognizes and commends government efforts through MoEVT, for putting in place conducive policy environment and structures that facilitate all school age children to enroll and complete their studies.”
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15 July 2021
Menstrual hygiene matters for the girls in Nyarugusu refugee camp, Kigoma Region
Joyce, a young woman living in a refugee camp in Nyarugusu is now hopeful and happy that she is able to participate in community activities. Her story would have been different few years back where privacy, information, access to water, and materials to manage her periods, was often lacking and challenging for adolescent girls like her in Tanzania. Like many other women, Joyce menstruates every month. She is also a first-time young mother who no longer attends school. Recently, she received an adolescent kit containing reusable sanitary pads which changed her life around making it possible for her to participate in daily community activities. Before that she was uncomfortable and embarrassed, anxious, and fearful that someone will find out and chose to remain in isolation.
Another younger girl named Asma (not her real name) also received the sanitary kits which were distributed by the, ‘Ujana Wangu Nguvu Yangu’ -the ‘My Youth, My Power’ –UNFPA and Irish Aid project during an educational outreach focusing on good personal and menstrual hygiene. As a very young girl facing the first months of menstruation, Asma could barely hide her joy and relief. She narrated to UNIC Dar es Salaam how she became more confident. “I no longer have to worry about how to manage my period. I am happy someone is talking to me about this” She said. Asma also informed, “This sanitary pack is a ‘golden opportunity’ now I can compete equally with the boys in my class.”. Menstrual hygiene management is integral to the realization of Sustainable Development Goals and in ensuring no one is left behind. The UNPFA and Irish Aid project is working to include more women and girls in and out of Nyarugusu camp in Kigoma region to benefit from the sanitary packs and age-appropriate services and information. Last year, close to 3000 reusable sanitary pads contained in Adolescent Dignity Kits were distributed by UNFPA’s partner- the International Rescue Committee. UNFPA also supports the renovation of maternal health facilities in Kigoma. maternity wards were upgraded in 2020 and a further 12 will be renovated in 2021.
Another younger girl named Asma (not her real name) also received the sanitary kits which were distributed by the, ‘Ujana Wangu Nguvu Yangu’ -the ‘My Youth, My Power’ –UNFPA and Irish Aid project during an educational outreach focusing on good personal and menstrual hygiene. As a very young girl facing the first months of menstruation, Asma could barely hide her joy and relief. She narrated to UNIC Dar es Salaam how she became more confident. “I no longer have to worry about how to manage my period. I am happy someone is talking to me about this” She said. Asma also informed, “This sanitary pack is a ‘golden opportunity’ now I can compete equally with the boys in my class.”. Menstrual hygiene management is integral to the realization of Sustainable Development Goals and in ensuring no one is left behind. The UNPFA and Irish Aid project is working to include more women and girls in and out of Nyarugusu camp in Kigoma region to benefit from the sanitary packs and age-appropriate services and information. Last year, close to 3000 reusable sanitary pads contained in Adolescent Dignity Kits were distributed by UNFPA’s partner- the International Rescue Committee. UNFPA also supports the renovation of maternal health facilities in Kigoma. maternity wards were upgraded in 2020 and a further 12 will be renovated in 2021.
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07 July 2021
Sweden gives UN extra USD 6.4 million for development activities in Tanzania
The Swedish Embassy in Tanzania has signed an agreement with the United Nations in Tanzania whereby Sweden contributes an additional USD 6.4 million (approx. Sh 14.8 billion) to support the continuation of UN development activities over the next year. The agreement, which was launched today by Ambassador of Sweden to Tanzania, H.E. Anders Sjöberg and Acting UN Resident Coordinator, Ms. Christine Musisi, will enable the UN to take forward its work for the social and economic development of women, children and youth, promotion of inclusive economic growth and employment, and strengthening democratic governance, human rights and gender equality in Tanzania.
With the latest contribution, Sweden’s overall support to the UN Tanzania under its current strategic document, the UN Development Assistance Plan II (2016-2022), is over USD 40 million. This generous support has been instrumental in enabling the UN to assist the governments on the mainland and Zanzibar at national and local levels to enhance policy and planning frameworks on a number of key developmental issues. It has also enabled the UN to support functioning of local businesses with viable and inclusive value chains generating employment, especially for women and young people, and ensuring their active and meaningful participation in the economy.
In partnership with the Government, UN agencies have been working to strengthen measures for improved accountability, transparency, and gender responsiveness, including access to justice and opportunities for citizen engagement. As a result of UN’s support, women and girls on both the mainland and in Zanzibar have benefitted from increased opportunities to hold leadership positions in political and public life at national and sub-national levels.
Through UN’s engagement with a range of partners in support to the five-year National Plan of Action to End Violence Against Women and Children (NPA), more women and children have access to and are better served by a national protection system that prevents and responds to all forms of violence and harmful practices. Multisectoral protection mechanisms are operational and are helping to address violence and protection needs at district, ward and village levels.
Highlighting Sweden’s commitment to Tanzania’s social and economic development, Ambassador Sjöberg said that Sweden has prioritized supporting UN activities that focus on the country’s development objectives in the areas of women’s rights, democratic governance and economic growth, leaving no one behind.
“For Sweden to ‘leave no one behind’ is both a prerequisite and a goal for inclusive sustainable development. Equality and inclusion are at the center of our development agenda. Sweden prioritizes strengthening the rights, representation, and access to resources for women and other vulnerable groups, because it is a vital component for building a growing, resilient, and democratic society,” he said.
Reiterating their continued support to Tanzania and the UN, Ambassador Sjöberg also reaffirmed Sweden’s commitment to the UN Secretary-General’s reforms and recognized the added value that UN agencies can bring to the table by working in a coordinated approach in close collaboration with the Government, development partners, and civil society.
Speaking on behalf of the UN system in Tanzania, Acting UN Resident Coordinator, Ms. Christine Musisi, thanked both the government and the people of Sweden for their sustained support. She pointed out that Sweden has been a dependable development partner for the UN and Tanzania.
“Sweden has been a strong partner of Tanzania and the UN for many decades. We thank them for their support which will enable UN agencies to continue working with the Government and other stakeholders in support of achieving national development priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” she said.
Ms. Musisi added that, “This contribution will support the UN’s work across a broad range of areas such as promoting decent employment opportunities for Tanzanians, advancing good governance principles and women’s leadership in politics as well as preventing violence against women and children.”
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28 May 2021
From commitment to action: Breaking down barriers to menstrual hygiene management in Kigoma
“It’s difficult to talk about menstruation and sanitary pads openly because it’s not something we do. I try to save money for pads, but if this runs out I use pieces of cloth,” says Bupe.* Pieces of cloth, she adds, that have to be dried out of sight.
She is not alone. Managing menstruation is often challenging for adolescent girls in Tanzania – and around the world – where privacy and access to affordable materials and water to manage periods are often lacking.
Persistent inequalities and perceptions that menstruating is somehow ‘dirty’ or ‘shameful’ can also mean that menstruation and puberty mark the start of restrictions to girls’ mobility and behaviour – a time when their opportunities can radically diminish; a time when they start to miss out.
“I used to miss one week of school every month,” says Glory.* “I didn’t want to shame myself in front of my peers.”
Her narrative is echoed by her friends. The silence and stigma that exists around menstruation continue to disempower girls globally, negatively affecting their education and health. But in Kasulu District, Kigoma Region, Tanzania, this is changing.
Empowering girls
Today, as Menstrual Hygiene Day is commemorated around the globe, with a call for increased investments and action to realize the collective vision of a world where women and girls can manage their menstruation with dignity and respect, UNFPA handed over-improved latrines that have been built at 10 primary schools in Irish Aid-supported Ujana Wangu Nguvu Yangu – My Youth, My Power – project districts in Kigoma. The latrines include a dedicated changing room for girls with an attached incinerator for the disposal of used sanitary pads.
Five thousand Dignity Kits, complete with reusable sanitary pad, were also distributed to school girls attending the celebrations, in tandem with menstrual hygiene education sessions – over 10,000 pads have been distributed since the project began in 2018.
Asma,* one of the recipients of the Dignity Kits, and a student at KumKata primary school, could barely hide her delight. She described the kit, and access to period-friendly sanitation facilities at her school, as “a golden opportunity”; a chance to compete as an equal with her male peers. “The drums are roaring for the girls of Kigoma now,” she added with a smile.
Committed to change
Over 10,000 girls and boys have attended education sessions on menstrual hygiene management (MHM) in the five Ujana project districts since 2018. They are now championing efforts to spread the message that menstruation is a normal and healthy part of life. Extensive advocacy with school committees, teachers, parents and caretakers for period-friendly sanitation facilities in schools has also secured commitment for the replication of the 10 latrines built under the project at more schools in the future.
Leaving no one behind is the central, transformative promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and although there is no specific goal or indicator related to menstrual hygiene, ensuring that all women and girls can manage their periods with dignity is integral to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 – good health and well-being – and SDG5 – gender equality and women’s empowerment – as well as several others.
UNFPA in Tanzania will continue to support efforts to build sustainable and effective MHM programmes that expand access to affordable and environmentally-friendly menstrual products and period-friendly facilities and bust myths that periods are a problem, so that girls in Kigoma – and across Tanzania – are not held back and do not miss school, but are empowered to compete as equals and realize their potential and aspirations – period!
Names have been changed.*
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Press Release
27 July 2021
THE SECRETARY-GENERAL - VIDEO MESSAGE TO FOOD SYSTEMS PRE-SUMMIT Rome, 26 July 2021
I am pleased to send greetings to this important meeting to prepare for the Food Systems Summit.
We are at a pivotal moment.
We are seriously off track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
Poverty, income inequality and the high cost of food continue to keep healthy diets out of the reach of some 3 billion people.
Climate change and conflict are both consequences and drivers of this catastrophe.
Up to 811 million people faced hunger in 2020 – as many as 161 million more than in 2019, not least due to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The pandemic, which still assails us, has highlighted the links between inequality, poverty, food, disease and our planet.
Our war against nature includes a food system that generates one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions.
And the same food system is responsible for up to 80 per cent of biodiversity loss.
Yet, there is hope.
Since my initial call for this Summit, you have responded with energy, ideas and a willingness to forge new partnerships.
At this Pre-Summit, we can define the scope of our collective ambition and strengthen our efforts to achieve all 17 SDGs by transforming our food systems.
I thank you for your work so far in making this both a “People’s Summit” and a “Solutions Summit”.
Your leadership will help set a tone for the Decade of Action and an equitable and sustainable recovery from COVID-19.
I look forward to welcoming you to New York in September.
Thank you.
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Press Release
16 July 2021
MESSAGE ON NELSON MANDELA INTERNATIONAL DAY
THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
MESSAGE ON NELSON MANDELA INTERNATIONAL DAY
Nelson Mandela International Day is an opportunity to reflect on the life and legacy of a legendary global advocate for dignity, equality, justice and human rights.
Each year, on this day, Nelson’s Mandela’s birthday, we pay tribute to this extraordinary man who embodied the highest aspirations of the United Nations and the human family.
Madiba’s calls for solidarity and an end to racism are particularly relevant today, as social cohesion around the world is threatened by division.
Societies are becoming more polarized, with hate speech on the rise and misinformation blurring the truth, questioning science and undermining democratic institutions.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has made these ills more acute and rolled back years of progress in the global fight against poverty.
As always in times of crises, it is the marginalized and discriminated against who suffer the most, often while being blamed for problems they did not cause.
The pandemic has shown the vital importance of human solidarity and unity, values championed and exemplified by Nelson Mandela in his lifelong fight for justice.
No one is safe until all are safe. And each of us has a part to play.
Let us be inspired by Madiba’s message that each of us can make a difference in promoting peace, human rights, harmony with nature and dignity for all.
Let us all honour Madiba’s call to action and be empowered by his legacy.
[END]
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Press Release
07 July 2021
Sweden gives UN extra USD 6.4 million for development activities in Tanzania
The agreement, which was launched today by Ambassador of Sweden to Tanzania, H.E. Anders Sjöberg and Acting UN Resident Coordinator, Ms. Christine Musisi, will enable the UN to take forward its work for the social and economic development of women, children and youth, promotion of inclusive economic growth and employment, and strengthening democratic governance, human rights and gender equality in Tanzania.
With the latest contribution, Sweden’s overall support to the UN Tanzania under its current strategic document, the UN Development Assistance Plan II (2016-2022), is over USD 40 million. This generous support has been instrumental in enabling the UN to assist the governments on the mainland and Zanzibar at national and local levels to enhance policy and planning frameworks on a number of key developmental issues. It has also enabled the UN to support functioning of local businesses with viable and inclusive value chains generating employment, especially for women and young people, and ensuring their active and meaningful participation in the economy.
In partnership with the Government, UN agencies have been working to strengthen measures for improved accountability, transparency, and gender responsiveness, including access to justice and opportunities for citizen engagement. As a result of UN’s support, women and girls on both the mainland and in Zanzibar have benefitted from increased opportunities to hold leadership positions in political and public life at national and sub-national levels.
Through UN’s engagement with a range of partners in support to the five-year National Plan of Action to End Violence Against Women and Children (NPA), more women and children have access to and are better served by a national protection system that prevents and responds to all forms of violence and harmful practices. Multisectoral protection mechanisms are operational and are helping to address violence and protection needs at district, ward and village levels.
Highlighting Sweden’s commitment to Tanzania’s social and economic development, Ambassador Sjöberg said that Sweden has prioritized supporting UN activities that focus on the country’s development objectives in the areas of women’s rights, democratic governance and economic growth, leaving no one behind. “For Sweden to ‘leave no one behind is both a prerequisite and a goal for inclusive sustainable development. Equality and inclusion are at the centre of our development agenda. Sweden prioritizes strengthening the rights, representation, and access to resources for women and other vulnerable groups because it is a vital component for building a growing, resilient, and democratic society,” he said.
Reiterating their continued support to Tanzania and the UN, Ambassador Sjöberg also reaffirmed Sweden’s commitment to the UN Secretary-General’s reforms and recognized the added value that UN agencies can bring to the table by working in a coordinated approach in close collaboration with the Government, development partners, and civil society.
Speaking on behalf of the UN system in Tanzania, Acting UN Resident Coordinator, Ms. Christine Musisi, thanked both the government and the people of Sweden for their sustained support. She pointed out that Sweden has been a dependable development partner for the UN and Tanzania. “Sweden has been a strong partner of Tanzania and the UN for many decades. We thank them for their support which will enable UN agencies to continue working with the Government and other stakeholders in support of achieving national development priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” she said.
Ms. Musisi added that “This contribution will support the UN’s work across a broad range of areas such as promoting decent employment opportunities for Tanzanians, advancing good governance principles and women’s leadership in politics as well as preventing violence against women and children.”
Note to Editors:
Sweden’s contribution will be channelled through the Tanzania One Fund, which is a fund established for UN agencies in the country to help implement the United Nations Development Assistance Plan 2016-22 (UNDAP II). Since the launch of the UNDAP II, Sweden has contributed over USD 40 million.
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Press Release
02 July 2021
More than 100 signatories launch Compact on Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action
As part of a five-year push for Gender Equality, the Compact intends to reshape peace and security and humanitarian action processes to systematically include women and girls in the decisions that impact their lives.
More than 25 years since the landmark Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing and more than 20 years after the adoption of UN Security Council resolution 1325, public rhetoric on women’s rights has not been matched by concrete action and investment. Currently, not a single country can claim to have achieved gender equality.
This fact is starkly evident in the peace, security and humanitarian sectors where women are woefully underrepresented.
“Since 1992, about 70 per cent of all peace processes did not include women signatories or mediators. This isn't just shameful, it's ignorant. It makes our world more dangerous,” said Samantha Power, head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, underscoring the United States’ commitment to the Compact.
Additionally, half a billion women in 31 countries and territories live in protracted crises and are at increased risk of human rights violations. Research shows that humanitarian programmes targeted at women and girls are chronically underfunded.
“As we continue to grapple with a global pandemic, we are seeing women-led civil society organizations, and programmes that support women peacebuilders, at risk of disappearing at the very moment they are needed most…We call on all countries to become signatories to this Compact and to demonstrate their commitment to bridging the gap between aspiration and action,” said Simon Coveney, Irish Minister of Foreign Affairs.
“My government stands in solidarity with the numerous global gender champions in this call to action to do more for our women and girls globally, said Julius Maada Bio, president of Sierra Leone. “Transformative actions across [the Compact’s] thematic areas can only be achieved with sustained political will and commitment.”
By joining the Compact, signatories pledge to take concrete action on existing commitments for women and girls in five key areas: increased financing for Women, Peace and Security and gender equality in humanitarian programming; meaningful participation in peace processes; economic security and access to resources; leadership and agency; protection of women’s rights in conflict and crisis.
The Compact will support these actions through an improved monitoring and accountability process. It is open to governments, regional and civil society organizations, UN entities, academic institutions and the private sector.
Current signatories to the Compact include Austria, Canada, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Japan, Ireland, Mexico, Namibia, Norway, Netherlands, Spain, Sierra Leone, State of Palestine, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay, United States, African Union Commission Office of the Special Envoy on Women Peace and Security, ASEAN, ECCAS, OHCHR, Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, OECD, OSCE, United Nations Department of Peace Operations, UNDP, UNHCR, United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, United Nations Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund, UN Women, as well as more than 65 civil society organizations.
About the Compact on Women, Peace, Security and Humanitarian Action
As one of the key outcomes of the Generation Equality Forum, the Compact on Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action is an inter-generational, inclusive movement for gender equality in women, peace and security and humanitarian processes.
For a full list of Compact signatories visit: www.wpshacompact.org
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Press Release
01 July 2021
Heads of State, leaders and activists take bold action to accelerate gender equality and address the consequences of Covid-19 for women and girls
FRANCE, Paris, Heads of State and Government, heads of international organizations, activists from civil society and youth-led organizations, philanthropists and CEOs of private sector companies gathered today for the opening of the Generation Equality Forum held from 30 June to 2 July in Paris. The Forum launched a Global Acceleration Plan for Gender Equality, driven by six Action Coalitions, and launched a Compact on Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action, with the aim to accelerate gender equality in the next five years and to face the growing risks to women’s rights caused by Covid-19. The Forum’s projected USD 40 billion of new investments will represent the largest-ever collective infusion of resources into global gender equality.
The event marks the most significant international convening for gender equality since the 1995 Women’s Conference in Beijing. The Forum was opened by the co-hosts, President of France, Emmanuel Macron and Mexico’s President, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, as well as by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and convener of the Forum, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women. Notable speakers at the opening event also included Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris, President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, Nobel laureate Nadia Murad, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Tunisian feminist Aya Chebbi. The ceremony was centred on the voice of civil society activists and women’s rights defenders and featured long-term advocate for gender equality and Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in an intergenerational dialogue with climate activist Julieta Martinez.
The Forum showcases concrete commitments and has a sharp focus on implementation and financing for gender equality. During the opening event, major commitments were announced by the Heads of State and Government of France, the United States of America, Kenya, Argentina, Georgia, Finland, Canada, Germany, South Africa, the European Union and from international organizations and private sector. The commitments included:
USD 40 billion+ in new investments benefitting women and girls, with government commitments over the three days expected to total USD 17 billion. At the Opening Ceremony, a USD 2.1 billion commitment from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to advance women’s leadership, reproductive health, and economic empowerment was announced, alongside a USD 420 million investment from the Ford Foundation to tackle threats to women’s rights caused by COVID-19. The World Bank committed to a major investment for programmes in 12 African States to tackle gender inequalities.
The implementation of major policy reforms and programmes to advance gender equality. The President of Kenya announced a national strategy and resources to prevent and respond to gender-based violence. The Prime Minister of Canada presented the country’s commitment to invest in a care system to benefit women and girls and the President of Georgia presented her commitment to lead legislative change on the legal definition of rape. The Vice President of the United States made policy and resource commitments on gender-based violence, women’s economic security, and sexual and reproductive health and rights.
The launch of new coordination mechanisms to advance key issues for gender equality, such as a new Global Alliance on Care and an Alliance to Fund Sustainable Feminist Movements. President Macron, speaking live from Paris underscored his commitment to confronting the gender equality crisis, saying, “Through the Generation Equality Forum, France's objective is to state loud and clear that the rights of women and girls are universal, as are all human rights, everywhere, all the time. This model that France defends is not a negation of our differences. It is about reaffirming that no cultural or religious relativism, no regional or identity-based particularism, justifies that a woman cannot enjoy the same rights and the same opportunities as a man. Our method for achieving this result is concerted international action, what I have called multilateralism through action.” The French government committed USD 100 million to improve access to contraceptives and family planning. UN Secretary-General António Guterres, speaking live in Paris, welcomed the bold ambition of the Forum, saying that the Forum was a moment “to redress a global imbalance, with activists, policymakers, and leaders across all ages shaping our world into a more just and gender-equal society.” Also speaking live in Paris, Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women, noted: “This is a new chapter for gender equality. Those with a world view of radical impatience are converging to create big, well-resourced changes. Together we will revitalize the unfinished Beijing agenda, united by the conviction that we must take risks and do things differently.” Over the following two days of the Forum, more financial, policy and programme commitments are expected from over 1,000 diverse commitment-makers. Additional philanthropy commitments are expected from the Co-Impact Fund, CIFF, Fondation Chanel, Global Green Grants, the Women’s Funding Network, and the Open Societies Foundation. Major private sector contributors will include P&G, Unilever, PayPal and Estée Lauder. A significant number of civil society and youth led commitments will be made; for example: GirlsForClimate will commit to establish over 100 local climate hubs in Uganda; Cameroon Digital Rights Campaign will announce advocacy and policy work to end the digital divide; and the Egyptian Feminist Union will commit to work on equal rights to divorce and guardianship of children for divorced women. Additional Member States announcing commitments will include Armenia, Burkina Faso, Chile, Costa Rica, Denmark, Germany Iceland, Finland, North Macedonia, Malawi, the Maldives, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mexico, Rwanda, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, the United Kingdom and Uruguay. The Forum includes over 110 events designed to propel action on gender equality, including a youth-led stage. Sessions aligned with the Action Coalitions – the six most catalytic actions required to accelerate gender equality, including economic justice, gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health and rights, impact of the climate emergency on women and girls, need for digital and technology inclusion, and support to feminist movements and leadership – are also a key component of the event agenda, as is the Compact on Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action. The Paris Forum is expected to draw over 40,000 virtual participants. Confirmed speakers across the three-day virtual event include President of Rwanda Paul Kagame, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Melinda French Gates, Brazilian Rapper MC Soffia and Actor and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Anne Hathaway. The Forum in Paris marks the launch of a five-year journey designed to accelerate gender equality and a turning point in the international community’s commitment towards women’s rights.
USD 40 billion+ in new investments benefitting women and girls, with government commitments over the three days expected to total USD 17 billion. At the Opening Ceremony, a USD 2.1 billion commitment from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to advance women’s leadership, reproductive health, and economic empowerment was announced, alongside a USD 420 million investment from the Ford Foundation to tackle threats to women’s rights caused by COVID-19. The World Bank committed to a major investment for programmes in 12 African States to tackle gender inequalities.
The implementation of major policy reforms and programmes to advance gender equality. The President of Kenya announced a national strategy and resources to prevent and respond to gender-based violence. The Prime Minister of Canada presented the country’s commitment to invest in a care system to benefit women and girls and the President of Georgia presented her commitment to lead legislative change on the legal definition of rape. The Vice President of the United States made policy and resource commitments on gender-based violence, women’s economic security, and sexual and reproductive health and rights.
The launch of new coordination mechanisms to advance key issues for gender equality, such as a new Global Alliance on Care and an Alliance to Fund Sustainable Feminist Movements. President Macron, speaking live from Paris underscored his commitment to confronting the gender equality crisis, saying, “Through the Generation Equality Forum, France's objective is to state loud and clear that the rights of women and girls are universal, as are all human rights, everywhere, all the time. This model that France defends is not a negation of our differences. It is about reaffirming that no cultural or religious relativism, no regional or identity-based particularism, justifies that a woman cannot enjoy the same rights and the same opportunities as a man. Our method for achieving this result is concerted international action, what I have called multilateralism through action.” The French government committed USD 100 million to improve access to contraceptives and family planning. UN Secretary-General António Guterres, speaking live in Paris, welcomed the bold ambition of the Forum, saying that the Forum was a moment “to redress a global imbalance, with activists, policymakers, and leaders across all ages shaping our world into a more just and gender-equal society.” Also speaking live in Paris, Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women, noted: “This is a new chapter for gender equality. Those with a world view of radical impatience are converging to create big, well-resourced changes. Together we will revitalize the unfinished Beijing agenda, united by the conviction that we must take risks and do things differently.” Over the following two days of the Forum, more financial, policy and programme commitments are expected from over 1,000 diverse commitment-makers. Additional philanthropy commitments are expected from the Co-Impact Fund, CIFF, Fondation Chanel, Global Green Grants, the Women’s Funding Network, and the Open Societies Foundation. Major private sector contributors will include P&G, Unilever, PayPal and Estée Lauder. A significant number of civil society and youth led commitments will be made; for example: GirlsForClimate will commit to establish over 100 local climate hubs in Uganda; Cameroon Digital Rights Campaign will announce advocacy and policy work to end the digital divide; and the Egyptian Feminist Union will commit to work on equal rights to divorce and guardianship of children for divorced women. Additional Member States announcing commitments will include Armenia, Burkina Faso, Chile, Costa Rica, Denmark, Germany Iceland, Finland, North Macedonia, Malawi, the Maldives, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mexico, Rwanda, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, the United Kingdom and Uruguay. The Forum includes over 110 events designed to propel action on gender equality, including a youth-led stage. Sessions aligned with the Action Coalitions – the six most catalytic actions required to accelerate gender equality, including economic justice, gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health and rights, impact of the climate emergency on women and girls, need for digital and technology inclusion, and support to feminist movements and leadership – are also a key component of the event agenda, as is the Compact on Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action. The Paris Forum is expected to draw over 40,000 virtual participants. Confirmed speakers across the three-day virtual event include President of Rwanda Paul Kagame, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Melinda French Gates, Brazilian Rapper MC Soffia and Actor and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Anne Hathaway. The Forum in Paris marks the launch of a five-year journey designed to accelerate gender equality and a turning point in the international community’s commitment towards women’s rights.
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