YOUNG WOMEN IN FOCUS

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GIRLSVOICES: PETRIDER, THE YOUNG LEADER

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#GirlsVoices: 22-year-old Petrider comes from Tanzania. She believes in a world free of gender-based violence and travels the world to advocate for girls' rights.
Petrider began her work as a girls’ rights activist at 15, when realising that many children’s, especially girls’, rights were violated in her community. She established a girls’ rights club in school which advocated for girls' rights in the community and through social media. 
Petrider is passionate about education. She believes girls are undervalued from birth, and regrets that traditions in Tanzania often mean that girls and women are undermined. 
She co-founded Youth For Change Tanzania, a partnership of youth striving to end gender-based violence against young girls, especially FGM and child marriage by working in rural communities to educate young girls, traditional and religious leaders and influence policy makers and decision makers on girls’ rights.
Petrider regularly participated in international meetings such as the first African Girls' Summit on Ending Child Marriage, the One Young World Summit and the Girls Not Brides global meeting on ending child marriage. She has addressed the British Parliament on gender-based violence and is also a representative in Tanzania’s youth parliament.
Petrider aims to work as an activist until true gender equality is reached. 
“Society can find me modern and look at me badly but as long as I am doing something for my fellow girls I can see past this to a world where gender equality is possible.” 

Wanawake wana Haki ya Kumiliki Ardhi kwa Ajili ya Ujasiriamali

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Ninapoongelea ujasiriamali kwa wanawake ninafahamu kuwa kutakuwa na ukinzani mkubwa kama sitatengenisha wanawake kwa makundi. Kwa uthubutu, kundi la kwanza ninawaweka wanawake ambao hawajaolewa na lile la pili ninaweka kundi la wanawake walioolewa.
Ninasukumwa kufanya hivi kwa sababu ninafahamu kuwa kundi la wanawake walioolewa maamuzi yao yanafungwa na matakwa ya waume zao wakati kundi la wanawake ambao hawajaolewa lenyewe lipo huru zaidi.
Nimesema wanawake wenye ndoa maamuzi yao yanadhibitiwa sana na wanaume, kwa kuwa kuna wanaume ambao wanawaunga mkono wake zao kufanya ujasiriamali lakini wapo wanaume ambao hawapo tayari kuruhusu wake zao kujishughulisha na ujasiriamali. Kwa hawa mbali na changamoto nyingi za kijasiriamali pia wanakumbana na dubwasha jingine, liitwalo ‘kunyanyaswa na waume zao’.

Kiukweli asilimia kubwa ya wanaume wengi wana matatizo katika fikra zao, kutokana na namna wanavyouchukulia uwezo wa wanawake katika ujasiriamali. Wengi wanaona mwanamke kuwa mjasiriamali, atakuwa na kiburi, wanahisi atachukua nafasi yao katika familia na kubwa linalowaogopesha ni kudhani kuwa mwanamke mjasiriamali ni muhuni.
Ujinga wa baadhi ya wanaume ni kudhani kuwa hulka hasi wanazokuwa nazo wao katika ujasiriamali, zipo pia kwa wanawake wajasiriamali. Upo ukweli kuwa baadhi ya wanaume wanapofanikiwa kiujasiriamali (na hata katika maeneo mengine) huwa na mtindo wa kuanza kiburi kwa wake zao, kusaliti ndoa zao na kusahau michango ya wake zao kwa hatua wanayokuwa wamefikia. Kutokana na hili, wanaume ni kama wanaogopa vivuli vyao wenyewe, katika kuwapa uhuru wake zao kujishughulisha kikamilifu na ujasiriamali.
Dhana hii imepelekea wanaume wengi kuwanyanyasa wake zao wanaojishughulisha na ujasiriamali na hata kuwakatisha tamaa. Na hili linatokea sana pale ambapo, eidha mwanaume sio mjasiriamali ama ikiwa wote ni wajasiriamali lakini wanafanya biashara tofauti. Inamhitaji mwanamke kujifunga kibwebwe ili kuendelea mbele.
Mara nyingi sana inapofika hapo (manyanyaso kuzidi) wanawake wengi husalimu amri na kuuacha ujasiriamali. Ni wachache tu ambao huamua kujitoa katika ndoa na kujikita katika ujasiriamali. Ndio maana takwimu na uzoefu unaonesha kuwa idadi kubwa ya wanawake waliofanikiwa kiujasiriamali eidha hawakuolewa kabisa ama walitalikiana na waume zao ama wanavumilia kuishi katika ndoa zenye migogoro mikubwa sana.
Kwa wale wanaume ambao wameoa na wanafanya ujasiriamali pamoja na wake zao nao bado wameendelea kuwa wagumu sana katika kuwashirikisha wake zao kikamilifu. Kama ni duka, mwanamke anabaki kuwa muuzaji tu, hajui ni wapi mali zinanunuliwa, hajui mfumo kamili wa mapato na matumizi tena hajui hata mipango na mikakati ya biashara.

Wapo wanaume ambao huwa wanadiriki hata kuchukua mikopo katika mabenki kwa kutumia rasilimali za familia bila kuwashirikisha kabisa wake zao. Hili ni tatizo kubwa! Ndio maana idadi kubwa ya wajane wa wajasiriamali huwa hawafiki mbali kibiashara mara baada ya waume zao kufariki.
Kwa wale ambao wanaendesha biashara katika mifumo rasmi, (kwa mfano makampuni) ni vema na tena ni njia rahisi ya kutoa kiwango unachodhani kinafaa cha ushiriki wa mke wako katika biashara zako. Kwa mfano, mke anaweza kuwa na asilimia fulani ya hisa katika kampuni. Hili litamuwezesha kuingia katika vikao vya bodi ya wakurugenzi pamoja na kushiriki katika mipango na maendeleo ya kampuni, hata kama anaendelea na kazi yake nyingine.
Siku zote ninasukumwa kuamini  kuwa suala la ukombozi wa mwanamke linahitaji sana kuhusisha ukombozi wa fikra za mwanaume, ili aweze (mwanamume) kuachia haki na uhuru wa mwanamke; alioushikilia kwa karne nenda rudi kupitia hiki kinachoitwa mfumo dume.
Hata hivyo naomba niweke sawa msimamao wangu katika hili ya kuwa sikubaliani na “baadhi ya wanaharakati” wanaotaka mwanamke abebe majukumu ya mwanaume. Tumkomboe mwanamke lakini tusithubutu kubadilisha uumbaji wa Mungu.
Ipo haja ya kuwekana sawa katika hili kwa sababu si busara kuona wanawake wakizikacha ndoa ama wakikataa kuingia katika ndoa, kwa sababu ya ujasiriamali. Ujasiriamali haupaswi kuwa kiwanda cha talaka, haupaswi kutengeneza waseja (wanawake wasiotaka kuolewa) na katu hautakiwi kuwa kapu linalotunza migogoro ya ndoa.
Lakini tunapoongelea ujasiriamali kwa wanawake ni lazima wao wanawake na jamii kwa ujumla, kuachana na mtindo wa kuwa na mitizamo hafifu. Kuna fikra zimemea za kudhani kuwa wanawake wanatakiwa kufanya biashara ndogo ndogo, kama kuuza maandazi, kuuza mboga, kushona vitambaa na vibiashara vingine uchwara.
Hayumkini hili ni tatizo lililopo hata katika fikra na mipango ya taasisi mbalimbali za fedha zinazotoa kile kiitwacho mikopo midogo midogo kwa wanawake. Taasisi hizi zimejizoesha kukopesha ‘vimikopo’ vya elfu hamsini, laki moja ikizidi sana laki tano! Ni vigumu wanawake kupiga hatua kiujasiriamali kama hawataaminiwa na kupewa mikopo zaidi ya hapo (mikubwa). Tukitaka mabadiliko hatuna budi kuwaamini wanawake.
Wanawake wenyewe wanatakiwa kuachana na mawazo hayo ya kujikunyata na unyonge, bali waanze kufikiria kiupana (thinking in big picture). Ni wasaa wa wanawake kuibuka na mawazo makubwa ya kibiashara, kuanzisha viwanda vidogo na vikubwa, kuanzisha makampuni pamoja na kucheza na fursa za biashara za kitaifa na kimataifa.

Wanawake sasa wawatazame wanawake wenzao wachache waliofanikiwa kiujasiriamali duniani na katika mazingira ya Tanzania, halafu wainuke na kuanza kutenda. Hakuna maana ya kuwa na visingizio, hakuna maana ya kukata tamaa tena haina maana ya kudhani kuwa mwanaume ana asilimia mia moja za uhuru wa mwanamke kiuchumi.
Kama si kusimama peke yake kiujasiriamali basi mwanamke anatakiwa kushikana bega kwa bega na mume wake, ili thamani na mafanikio ya familia kupitia ujasiriamali yawe ni mchango wa nguvu, bidii na maarifa ya wanandoa wote kwa pamoja.

Faida iliyopo kwa wanawake ni kuwa wana hulka ya uvumilivu na kujituma ambazo ni hulka muhimu sana katika ujasiriamali. Kwa ‘added advantage’ hii kwa nini wanawake wabaki nyuma?
Haina ubishi kuwa wanawake wapo katika kipindi cha mpito katika kutokomeza mfumo wa kutoaminiwa. Kipindi hiki ni kigumu na kinahitaji kukilipia gharama ili kupata mafanikio likiwemo eneo hili la ujasiriamali. Ni kipindi cha mapambano, kutoka utumwa wa mwanamke kuwa, ‘mama wa nyumbani’, kuwa, ‘golikipa’ ‘kuwa tegemezi’ na kuwa ‘wa kuamuliwa hata kama ana kazi yake’ kuelekea katika uhuru wa kiuchumi.

Wanawake wasione taabu kukataliwa na jamii zao, wasirudi nyuma kwa kuachwa ama kunyanyaswa na waume zao, na wavumile kutukanwa na kusemwa vibaya na wanajamii ambao wanawaona wanawake wanaouendea mstari wa mafanikio kupitia ujasiriamali, kana kwamba ni wahuni.
Ni lazima wanawake wajitahidi kushinda changamoto za kuhudumia familia, kukabiliana na vishawishi, kubaki wasafi kinidhamu, kimaadili na katika imani. Kwa kufanya hivyo, jamii itaendelea kushuhudia na kuyaheshimu mafanikio ya wanawake katika ujasiriamali nchini Tanzania na duniani kwa ujumla.
Wanawake wajasiriamali wanastahili ushindi.

CHANZO:MJENGWA BLOG



“Want the SDGs to succeed? Involve young people!”

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Why are youth important to implementing the SDGs, especially target 5.3 to end child marriage?

We are the ‘now generation’ – the young people of today are going to lead the implementation of the SDGs and they will feel its impact.

We can turn the SDGs into reality. We are passionate and we can influence others in our communities, including our fellow young people. We can make noise to show the government that we are committed, that we care. With technology and social media, we can reach so many people.

 - says Petrider Paul who is  a youth advocate for Tanzania. She is taking part in #MyLifeAt15, a global campaign calling on governments to implement the SDG target to end child marriage by 2030

But even young people with no access to technology can mobilise. They can support from district leaders, from their teachers. They can reach out to youth networks.

My message to young people is this: don’t sit back and let change happen. Change happens with you. Everything is possible if you decide to do it.

My message to young people is this: don’t sit back and let change happen. Change happens with you. Everything is possible if you decide to do it.

More on my interview click! ,  http://www.girlsnotbrides.org/want-the-sdgs-to-succeed-involve-young-people/

The Republic of Zimbabwe Launches AU Campaign to End Child Marriage in Africa

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PRESS RELEASE
The Republic of Zimbabwe Launches AU Campaign to End Child Marriage in Africa
"Child molesters, pedophiles, and rapists should not be allowed to get away with lenient sentences such as community service. Child marriage is a tragedy for the girl child, her unborn children and her country's development"
Harare, Zimbabwe, 31 July 2015 – “We have a crisis on our hands. The UN estimates that 15 million girls experience child marriage each year. That is more than the entire population of Zimbabwe. We must move from vulnerability to voice and leadership. Africa is young and full of innovation. This energy must be harnessed to ensure that we have lasting solutions", said Ms. Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, the AU Goodwill Ambassador on Ending Child Marriage in Africa at the national launch of the AU Campaign to End Child Marriage in Africa which held at the Harare International Conference Centre, under the theme "We are Girls not Brides"
.The Republic of Zimbabwe is the 8th African Nation to launch the AU Campaign following national launches in Ethiopia, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar and Uganda. The Zimbabwean launch of the campaign also comes at a critical time when the country was recently under the global lens following a statement by Prosecutor-General Mr. Johannes Tomana on the age of sexual consent. This sparked a public outcry and accentuated the need for a nationwide campaign that tackles the harmful practice of child marriage with the focus of highlighting the consequences of allowing the perpetuation of the practice.
In her keynote address, Zimbabwe’s First Lady, Dr. Grace Mugabe called on all Zimbabwean daughters to fight against the sentencing of girls to a lifetime of violation. She pleaded with girls not to be threatened into being married off but to strive for a better life; making education their first love. The First Lady also called on the Ministry of Justice to harmonize all laws on the age of marriage to 18 years as stipulated by the constitution and apply stiffer penalties and sentencing of violators. "Child molesters, pedophiles, and rapists should not be allowed to get away with lenient sentences such as community service. Child marriage is a tragedy for the girl child, her unborn children and her country's development", she affirmed. Dr. Mugabe also received the petition of the child parliamentarians and called on all Cabinet Ministers to jointly work towards a national action plan on ending child marriage in Zimbabwe.

Burundi – President Nkurunziza reelected, what now?

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The United States State department  urgently called on “all parties in Burundi to commit themselves to constructive dialogue to resolve peacefully the political impasse that threatens to unravel the peace and stability ushered in by the implementation of the Arusha Agreement over a decade ago.”
more read... http://presidential-power.com/?p=3656

To Protect Her Honour”: Child marriage in emergencies – the fatal confusion between protecting girls and sexual violence

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''To Protect Her Honour ''
 CARE looks at the issue of child marriage in the context of emergencies and makes the case that prevention must always start at the beginning of a humanitarian response before levels become critically high.
Drawing on experiences from the Syrian refugee crisis, CARE analyses the drivers and consequences of child marriage and provides recommendations for donors, implementing agencies and host governments on how to effectively respond to the issue in such fragile contexts.

Let's Talk Gender !

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''The New development agenda will be strongest and most enduring when it is based on equal financial resilient and inclusive communities , We have to act now to vastly increase financing from all sources and at all levels inline with women's rights'' - Phumzile M. Ngauka   (Executive Director , UNWomen )