EUROPEAN UNION 7 ...
EUROPEAN UNION
7 May 2013
Press Release
The European Union and Concern Worldwide launch a new
3.8 billion TSHS partnership to support economic, social and land
rights of women small scale farmers in Tanzania
Thousands of women in
Tanzania rural districts to benefit from improved land rights, agricultural
production, livelihood and economic opportunities thanks to a 3.8 billion
Tshilling worth programme funded by the European Union (EU) and Concern
worldwide.
The 'Women's Social and Economic Rights (WSER)
programme' will be launched in Concern Tanzania’s headquarters in
Mikocheni, Dar es Salaam on 7 May at 10.00 am.
The
event will be graced by Honourable Ummy Ali Mwalimu, Deputy Minister for
Community Development Gender and Children (MCDGC) and His Excellency Filiberto
Ceriani Sebregondi, Ambassador of the European Union in Tanzania. High level
representatives from Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements
Development, Development Partners and civil society organisations also in
attendance.
The
initiative aims at advancing women’s rights and involvement in and
control over decision-making and economic resources at the household,
community, and district level through improved knowledge, access to assets,
credit and economic opportunities. In
close collaboration with districts and village land councils it will support land
tenure and specifically women land rights.
The three year programme
is expected to a) improve agriculture production for small-scale farmers, through simple techniques such as
conservation agriculture, the use and production of improved seeds, processing
training, and training paraprofessionals to support farmers; b) distribute at least 6,000 certificates of customary right of occupancy (CCROs) to couples and female-headed households for
their land; c) Improve access to credit for women and men through
community credit schemes; d) contribute to improved village governance
to ensure participation of excluded citizens in village planning, and
production of development plans that are accountable to all citizens; e) fight
gender discrimination.
The programme
will work with men and women in three districts of Kigoma Rural, Masasi and Kasulu focusing on land tenure and economic improvement for women
and the whole family, as well as improving women’s household and community
decision making. The programme aims to transform negative perceptions of
equality by working with men and women on the benefits of equal access and control
of resources, and on participation of women and men in community decision
making.
EU Ambassador stated: "With respect, honour, and
economic incentives Tanzanian rural women can be the real drivers for change
and prosperity. The European Union believe that there can be no poverty reduction
without gender equality, and we strive to include gender in
all of our activities and programmes and support government and civil society
organisations in their tremendous efforts to improve the lives of Tanzanian women.
Today we are particularly delighted to be able to partner with such a reputable
and experienced organisation such as Concern Worldwide. We trust the programme
will go a long way in promoting improved access to land, property rights and
economic opportunities for women, breaking down cultural norms which often
discriminate against women and girls. In doing so we hope to contribute to a
real life change for thousands of women in rural Tanzania and their families as
well as improved food security, nutrition and economic potential for the whole
community.
BACK GROUND Notes to
Editors:
The EU is a
unique economic and political partnership between 27 democratic European
countries. It is also the world’s largest contributor of official aid to Africa
and plans to increase its aid contributions to the continent over the next
decade.
Since 2008 the European Union has contributed more
than EUR 606 million (equivalent to almost 1.2 trillion Tanzanian
Shillings) to the United Republic of
Tanzania. The European Union aims at supporting the poverty reduction and
sustainable development efforts of the Government to achieve the Millennium
Development Goals. EU support since 2008 has prioritised three main areas:
general budget support, infrastructure, and trade and regional integration with
a clear focus on agriculture.
Substantive
additional funds have been invested in support to improved water and
sanitation, renewable energies, governance and accountability, social and human
development and promotion of human rights.
The EU adopts a
rights-based approach to programming which aims at mainstreaming gender equity
and women empowerment in all activities and programmes
About the EU
Day celebrations
9th May is
Europe Day. On this day in 1950 the French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman made
an important speech that laid the foundations of today’s European Union (EU).
His vision was that by pooling basic production of coal and steel and
instituting new common institutions would lead to the creation of an European
Federation indispensable to the preservation of peace.
The
signature of the Treaty of Rome by the first six countries marked the start of
an extraordinary history of European integration based on the values of peace,
prosperity, and dialogue. The European Union has since evolved from a common
market towards a political integration project on a grand scale. We have built
permanent peace among former enemies and achieved the successful reunification
of Europe. The European Union has helped to advance democracy, political
freedom and human rights throughout Europe where citizens live in prosperous
and socially just societies. These achievements also guide the external
relations of the European Union.
Each year the
European Council selects a theme for each year around which celebrations to
mark the Europe Day are organised in the EU states and partner states. The
European Council decided that the year 2013 should be declared the European
Year of Citizens.
Every year
during this time the Delegation of the European Union to Tanzania in
collaboration with EU member states launch a series of events to celebrate
around the Europe Day under different themes as decided by the European
Council.
About Concern
Tanzania:
Concern
Worldwide is a non-governmental, international, humanitarian organisation
dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate
elimination of extreme poverty in 25 countries across sub-Saharan Africa, Asia,
and the Caribbean. The organisation was founded in Ireland in 1968 and has been
operating in Tanzania since 1978.
In 1978 the
first President of Tanzania, Julius Nyerere, invited Concern to implement
community development projects in Iringa Region in central Tanzania. Since
2000, Concern Tanzania’s work has developed into two major sector areas –
agriculture and water and sanitation
– with a focus on governance and equality. Concern
Tanzania implements all programmes in partnership with local government and
civil society organisations. Current programmes cover Kigoma, Kagera,
Mtwara, and Iringa regions. Concern Tanzania will implement a nutrition
programme in Mbeya, Iringa, and Njombe regions starting in 2013. Our main
donors are the EU, DfID, Unicef, charty:water, Concern USA, and the general
public from Ireland and the UK.
Concern
Worldwide is a proud accredited member of Humanitarian Accountability
Partnership (HAP) – aiming to improve accountability in our work, and
especially to the people who we aim to assist.
Concern’s
mission is to help people living in extreme poverty achieve major improvements
in their lives which last and spread without ongoing support from the
organisation. To achieve this mission it engages in long-term development work,
responds to emergencies, and seeks to address the root causes of poverty
through its development education and advocacy work.
About Women’s
Social and Economic Rights’ programme in Tanzania
|
Location
of the action
|
Tanzania
– 3 districts
·
Kigoma Rural and Kasulu districts in Kigoma
Region
·
Masasi District in Mtwara
Region
|
|
Total
duration of the action
|
36
months (January 2013 – December 2015)
|
|
Total costs
|
1,772,000
EURO (3,77 billion TSH)
|
|
EU contribution
|
1,417,000
EURO (3 billion TSH)
|
|
Managing agent
|
Concern
Worldwide (CSO)
|
|
Implementing Partners
|
KIMAS
in Masasi, Caritas in Kigoma, and Kasulu Consortium in Kasulu (CSOs)
|
|
Objectives
of the action
|
Overall objective:
·
To contribute to the attainment of women’s
economic and social empowerment and rights in Tanzania
Specific
objectives:
·
To advance women’s involvement in and control over
decision-making and economic resources at the household, community, and
district level
·
To improve women’s status and household incomes
through improved knowledge and opportunities
|
|
Target
groups
|
·
Rural women/men in three districts (priority those living with HIV and AIDS
(1,638), disability (721), female-headed households (1,707), those with heavy
burden of care (489), wider communities (especially Religious leaders, influential people, social groups e.g. youths groups ),
institutions (village government (40) , village committees members such as school
committees, health committees and development committees, SACCOS (micro)
·
Ward councillors (94), parliamentarians (10),
local government authorities (LGAs) departments (3 each), (land ,
agriculture, community development gender and children, nutrition
specialists), civil society organisation (CSO) partners (3), community
development banks (1), business development services providers (3) (meso)
·
Ministries (1 each): Land,
Agriculture/Food/Livestock, Community Development/Gender/Children,
parliamentary committees (AIDS Committee (TAPAC), committee for human rights
etc) , advocacy networks (ANSAF, Policy Forum, FemAct), media (macro)
|
|
Final
beneficiaries
|
Direct:
women, men, and children in target 40 villages – 252,989
Indirect:
three districts – 1,800,659
|
|
Estimated
results
|
ER1: Economic:
Women's economic assets/return on assets improved
ER2: Social: Women's involvement in and control over
decision making in household and community increased
ER3: Advocacy and policy: LGA and private sector’s capacity/ willingness to address gender
equality improved
|
|
Main
activities
|
ER1: Land tenure; access to credit, inputs, micro irrigation; Training in
farming; seeds; business, storage, processing, marketing; Community sensitisation on female access to
resources, nutrition, health
ER2: Mentoring communities on equal
control of land/crops; Community
sensitisation on female income and control, participation in
decision-making community/food choices; male awareness on nutrition/GBV
ER3: Capacity building of village
councils/CSO/LGAs on equitable ownership of land/resources; Engagement with microfinance
and private sector for value chain/business; develop CSO/LGA capacity in gender advocacy/implementation; engage with networks for
dissemination of best practice in policy implementation
|
Tom Vens, Head Political, Press and Information Section EU Delegation to
Tanzania, e-mail:
Tom.VENS@eeas.europa.eu
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