Tanzania Women CEO Roundtable (TWCR) gathering which took part on November 23-24 takes pride on Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, the first female President of the United Republic of Tanzania for her unwavering support and commitment on empowering women and addressing gender parity in the country.
TWCR is a women-led initiative with the objectives to advocate for excellence, promote unity and support among women leaders in order to improve their social stature, maintain progressive interest in business and be of service to humankind.
It revolves around the national agenda for women empowerment and echoes precisely the good work being championed by President Samia.
“We are tasked to provide a platform of women leaders in public and private sectors with regard to mutual trust, integrity and caring for networking, mentoring, learning, and training for peer level,” says Ms Emma Kawawa, TWCR Chief Executive Officer.
“We aspire to empower women with business skills and resources, to value and acknowledge their contributions to the society in providing peer support and nurturing young women leaders.”
President Samia has been at the forefront in championing women and gender equality in every sphere of life ever since she attained the country’s leadership power, demonstrating a significant milestone that has become a catalyst to many women emulating her path in their different leadership roles.
Dr. Samia’s rise to power also provides a role model for young girls and women who may have previously felt excluded from social-economic development.
Samia’s ascendancy to the presidency sent a strong statement on leadership potential of women and the importance of giving them equal opportunity to effectively contribute to the development of the national.
“Some don’t believe that women can be better presidents (leaders), and we are here to show them,” Dr. Samia was quoted by BBC in August 2021. “Even some in my government dismissed me at first as just another woman, but they soon accepted my leadership competence.”
This is apparently a vivid commitment by the president as she always walks the talk. On showing the world that women can effectively lead, she has been making several appointments of competent women to take leadership roles in key government ministries, departments and agencies.
President Samia believes that empowering women to take an active role in decision making is a prerequisite to achieving not only the global sustainable goals but also Tanzania’s Vision 2025 and Africa’s Agenda 2063.
“I must say we need to move faster and create a legal and financial atmosphere that would facilitate the inclusion of women in decision making, which in turn will make our nations achieve sustainable goals,” she was quoted as saying at the fourth intergenerational retreat hosted by the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN), a network of African women leaders.
“A need to empower women is vital as it’s through them that we as the global body, the continent of Africa and individual countries can achieve their development goals. As a frontline country in gender equality, we will support the move undertaken by AWLN.”
Dr. Samia is aware of many African countries doing an incredible job when it comes to women’s inclusion in leadership and economic endeavors. Indeed, she believes that the continent will be in the capable hands of women in two to three decades to come.
It’s due to her dedicated leadership that Kamala Harris, the Vice President of the United States of America on her State visit to Tanzania applauded President Samia’s efforts to support women in the country.
“We will emphasize the vital job you have done to support women in Tanzania,” Ms Harris said in March this year during a media briefing with President Samia at the State House in Dar es Salaam.
“As I have said many times, women must be able to fully participate in economic, political and social life around the world. Women must also be allowed to engage in leadership positions on an equal basis.”
Dr. Samia is regarded a role model for her accomplished leadership. The TWCR reflects on her leadership legacy by nurturing the entrusted women in different leadership roles that includes CEOs in public and private sectors, senior management staff, professionals, decision-makers, among others.
