Men's Safe Space to discuss gender, masculinity, and women's leadership,

 

By Deogratius Koyanga, in Kondoa

The Gender Network in Tanzania (TGNP), in collaboration with the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF-(T)), through the "SHE LEADS" project in the Kondoa District Council in Dodoma Region, has organized a Safe Space Dialogue involving some male partners of women leaders in the Haubi Ward, starting from the ward level, villages, and hamlets.

Facilitating the dialogue, Deogratius Temba from TGNP stated that the aim of the dialogue is to change negative perceptions, customs, and traditions regarding women's participation in leadership positions and to enhance the collaboration of partners in improving the effectiveness of leaders in office.

He added that there is a need for male partners of women leaders to assist their spouses with some of the responsibilities traditionally associated with women, thereby reducing the workload on female leaders and enabling them to carry out their leadership roles for the benefit of the nation, bringing productivity and honour to female leaders.

"Many women face a heavy burden of family responsibilities that could be shared with their husbands or partners. However, the negative perception of women's leadership capabilities starts at the family level, and this significantly affects their performance. Customs, traditions, and religious beliefs strongly contribute to perpetuating this situation," said Temba.

Contributing to the discussion, some male participants shared provocative images and mentioned that women leaders at the ward, village, and hamlet levels face various challenges related to the intersection of family and leadership responsibilities.

Concluding the dialogue, the participants emphasized that men should be ready to help their wives with household duties, support their needs, build self-confidence in their roles, and abandon male-dominated systems.

Haubi Ward consists of four villages: Haubi, Mwisanga, Mafai, and Ntomoko. Among these, only Haubi Village has eight hamlets and three female hamlet chairpersons. However, women in village councils face significant challenges in balancing leadership duties and family responsibilities, such as fetching water and taking care of their families.