By Rose Ngunangwa
The government has been advised to engage respected regional or international mediators to facilitate impartial negotiations, build trust among stakeholders, and support peaceful conflict resolution and national consensus on constitutional reforms.
The call to that end was made in Dar es Salaam at the weekend during the commemorations of the Pan African Women’s Day organized by the Women in Law and Development in Tanzania (WILDAF) to strengthen women's democratic participation and governance in Tanzania.
The move further meant to examine the constitutional reform process and the cost of politics as the two key entry points, and to reflect on the role of the women's movement and feminist organizations in advancing women's rights within them.
Other recommendations made are for the Parliament to enact a new Constitutional Review Law that guarantees gender equality, inclusivity, transparency, accountability, and meaningful public participation throughout the constitutional review process.
Delegates also called upon the government to consider returning to a national referendum that allows citizens to choose between the Warioba Commission Draft Constitution and the Proposed Constitution adopted by the Constituent Assembly, while giving due consideration to Union matters.
Contributing during the day, Deus Kibamba, cited the cases of Kenya as a living example of countries which managed to recover from post-election wounds by engaging international mediators such as Mr. Koffi Annan where the latter also managed to come up with a new constitution.
For her part, A don from the Open University of Tanzania Dr. Victoria Lihiru called upon women to organize themselves and ensure that they are part of the law-making process for the constitution making process to ensure inclusivity.
The colorful event brought together women's rights organizations and civil society actors, government representatives, legal practitioners and academicians, women in leadership and decision-making positions, clerics, media, and development partners.
Pan African Women's Day is commemorated annually on 31 July, marking the founding of the Pan-African Women's Organization in 1962, to honor the contribution of African women to the continent's liberation, development, and governance, and to renew commitment to the advancement of women's rights across the region.
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