SPEAKER of the National Assembly Dr. Tulia Ackson has said national development and economic prosperity in Tanzania depend on the active and meaningful involvement of women in the advancement of their rights.

Dr. Tulia made said this in Dar es Salaam over the weekend  when opening the first Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC) Phenomenal Women with a theme " women as a change agent " with the aim of  recognizing the vital role of women in building the economy and fostering national development.

She cited the 2024 Global Gender Gap Report on gender equality, which ranks Tanzania 64th out of 146 countries globally while  In Africa, Tanzania is among the top ten countries performing well on gender equality issues.

 Dr. Tulia noted that despite the above achievements, oppressive customs and traditions remain significant obstacles.

 She urged women to be game-changers, beginning with their home environments.

“We have made progress in policy and constitutional reforms, but it has not been an easy journey. Over 30 percent of all Members of Parliament must be women — let’s not underestimate the progress we have achieved,” she said.

Dr. Tulia further highlighted that more than 30 percent of MPs are now women, and 43 percent of heads of government institutions are women.

 According to her, women are not merely followers of change but also initiators and leaders in every sector of development.

TRC Director General Masanja Kadogosa affirmed that national development cannot be realized without the involvement of women. 

He noted that women have always been instrumental in the country’s progress, including during the independence struggle.

Kadogosa said since assumed the office in 2015,  the number of women employed at TRC has increased from 147 to 763.

He said among  them are 31 engineers, 47 railway track experts, 90 technicians and four train drivers.

“We have reached 40 percent. We still have 10 percent to go to achieve the 50/50 gender balance target,” he stated.

During a panel discussion, the first President of the Pan-African Parliament, Getrude Mongella, urged women to be bold and proactive rather than being pushed into action.

She encouraged women to take the lead in all areas of life and emphasized the importance of courage and respectful leadership. Make eight words headline.