Women's Participation and Equal Opportunities for Leadership in Tanzania

Abstract

The goal of ensuring women's full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership in political, economic, and public life is still a major challenge in Tanzania. This chapter addresses three questions: What accounts for low participation of women in leadership at all levels of decision making in political, economic, and public life? What measures have been undertaken to address gender gap in leadership? And, what are the best ways to ensure women's full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership? Findings suggest several determinants of gender gap in leadership including low level of education among women, patriarchal political norms and values reinforced with high levels of poverty, as well as the dual burden of triple roles, which women carry. Moreover, women are perceived to be lacking public speaking skills and competitiveness. All those factors make women less likely than men to aspire for leadership careers in political, economic, and public life.