Kisumu: President Samia Suluhu Hassan has reaffirmed the Tanzanian government's commitment to investing in key sectors that promote women's dignity, equality, and empowerment, with a strong focus on healthcare, education, economic inclusion, and moral values.
According to Nam News Network, the president made the remarks in a statement posted on her official X (formerly Twitter) account as Tanzania joined the world in marking International Mothers Day. President Samia highlighted the day as an occasion to recognize and appreciate mothers for their significant contributions to families, communities, and the nation.
Under President Samia's leadership since 2021, Tanzania has made strides in improving maternal, newborn, and child health. Her efforts were globally recognized when she became the first African leader to receive the Global Goalkeeper Award from the Gates Foundation for reducing maternal and child mortality and improving nutrition. At the award ceremony in Dar es Salaam, she reiterated her commitment to investing in health infrastructure and human resources, emphasizing maternal and child health as priorities.
Significant outcomes include a reduction in under-five mortality from 63 to 43 per 1,000 live births, an increase in the number of obstetricians and gynecologists from 69 in 2020 to 338 in 2024, distribution of 727 ambulances to enhance emergency obstetric care, and expansion of ultrasound equipment from 345 to 970 machines. The government also introduced the M-mama initiative in partnership with Vodafone Foundation, which supports emergency maternal and newborn transport services in remote areas.
In education, President Samia has overseen reforms such as the reversal of the ban on teen mothers returning to school. The policy change, implemented in November 2021, allows girls who became pregnant or dropped out due to family challenges to resume their education. To further remove financial barriers, her administration extended fee-free education to Form Five and Form Six students from the 2022/23 academic year. These changes are part of the National Girls Education Initiative, aimed at expanding access and improving gender equity in schooling.
President Samia also emphasized Tanzania's role in promoting economic justice and gender equality. During International Women's Day celebrations in Arusha, she noted that Tanzania leads global efforts to close the gender gap. Domestically, her administration supports 75 economic empowerment programs, including 63 government-led initiatives and 12 from the private sector, offering loans exceeding 3 trillion Tanzanian shillings for income-generating projects, with women receiving about 1.7 trillion shillings or 49 percent of this funding.
In a landmark move, the government reformed public procurement laws, mandating that at least 30 percent of all public tenders be allocated to special groups, including women, youth, and people with disabilities. President Samia called for legal and policy reforms to advance women's land ownership rights, describing it as essential for building a gender-equal society. Her Mother's Day message underscored her administration's vision for inclusive development, where women are fully empowered and equally represented in all aspects of national life.