Gender Disparities in Tanzania: Legal Framework Vis-a Vis Practice

Abstract

Gender disparities exist since antiquity. There has been inequality based solely on gender in various aspects of life usually in favour of men. Such inequalities are evident in employment, earning, education, leadership, land ownership, language use, religion, health rights and decision making. Tanzania like any other countries has incorporated gender in various legal instruments, policies, institutions and various strategies that have been employed to replicate gender gap in the country. It has been noted that life has been stratified by system of oppression and privileges. Throughout history women have been confined to uninvisible, unpaid and undervalued work. 1Accordingly, we cannot eliminate gender disparities unless the community is convinced and ready to embrace new practices. Furthermore, it has been observed that Tanzania has undergone major legal reforms to mitigate gender disparities. The Land legal regime provide for women safeguard, though such right cannot be realized as patriarchal practices places women to a disadvantaged position, besides, inheritance and marriage laws are still weak and discriminate against women thus, diversely affect their land rights. It is recommended that ‘will’ writing practices and willingness of the court to honor and enforce the law may mitigate the problem since reform on inheritance law has been proved ineffective. Therefore, this article discusses the patterns of disparities in the legal framework concerning women vis-a vis its practices blatantly inconsistent with the principles of equality and non-discrimination and the spirit of the constitution and international conventions which Tanzania signed without reservation.