Empowering Women, Youth, and People with Disabilities
Category:Civic EducationQuick Facts:
- Location: Makambako Town Council, Njombe District – Njombe Region (Villages: Mlowa, Idofi, Mlucha)
- Timeline: 2024 – 2025
- Beneficiaries Reached: 895+ community members in dialogues; 302 in data collection; broader stakeholders
- Key Collaborator: WAJIBU Institute of Public Accountability
- Aligned with: SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions)
The Challenge
In Njombe District’s rural and town areas, women, youth, and people with disabilities (PWDs) often face significant barriers to meaningful participation in political and civic processes. Deep-rooted socio-cultural norms, limited access to voter education, economic pressures, and inadequate representation hinder their engagement especially during elections. This leads to low turnout, unaddressed community needs (e.g., socio-economic issues like access to services, rights protection), and governance that doesn’t fully reflect diverse voices.
With Tanzania’s local government elections in late 2024 and general elections in October 2025, these gaps are particularly urgent. As community members shared: “We want our concerns heard, but without platforms and support, it’s hard to participate fully.”
Our Approach
SHIPO, in partnership with WAJIBU Institute, works directly with communities, local authorities, and stakeholders to build inclusive civic engagement through evidence-based, participatory activities.
- Stakeholder Introduction & Alignment Held introductory meetings with council leaders, ward/village executives, and SHIPO team to clarify roles, gather feedback, and secure commitments for collaboration.
- Evidence Gathering & Validation Collected data from 302 respondents (balanced across women, youth, PWDs) on socio-economic challenges during elections using structured interviews via the Wajibu App. Validated findings in a session with 26 participants, including council officials and community reps.
- Grassroots Dialogues (Village Level) Facilitated inclusive conversations in 3 villages (Idofi, Mlowa, Mlucha) to discuss challenges, aspirations, voter education (per TAMISEMI guidelines), and barriers, prioritizing women, youth, and PWDs.
- Council-Level Civic Engagement Dialogues Presented grassroots insights to council stakeholders (e.g., Town Director, Community Development Officer, election officers) for feedback, policy discussion, and joint action planning.
- Ongoing Advocacy & Sustainability Documenting insights for advocacy; building stakeholder commitments; planning follow-up activities to sustain momentum through and beyond 2025 elections.
Results & Impact
Early achievements show strong foundations for change:
- Inclusive Engagement: 895+ community members directly involved in village dialogues; 302 respondents in data collection ensuring evidence reflects real voices.
- Data-Driven Insights: Comprehensive baseline on socio-economic and civic barriers, validated and shared with authorities.
- Enhanced Awareness & Collaboration: Voter education delivered; council officers acknowledged issues and committed to further action; stronger ties between communities and government.
- Civic Empowerment: Marginalized groups gained platforms to voice concerns, increasing their role in governance and elections.
- Broader Goal: Contribute to more accountable, inclusive leadership in Njombe with potential for scaling.
Stories from the Ground
“These dialogues gave us a real chance to speak about our challenges like access to services and rights during elections. Now, council leaders are listening, and we feel more empowered to vote and hold leaders accountable.” ~ A woman participant from Mlowa Ward.
Youth and PWD representatives highlighted how the sessions built confidence: “We learned our rights and how to engage, this will change how we participate in 2025 elections.”
Transparency & Learnings
We track progress through activity reports, attendance lists, and financial summaries (total expenses aligned with budgets, with some adjustments noted).
Key lesson: Grassroots dialogues build trust and ownership challenges like socio-cultural barriers and election-season sensitivities are addressed through continued inclusive facilitation and advocacy.
