Mainstreaming Strategies and Gender Equality in Dodoma Municipality and Mpwapwa District Council, Tanzania.
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College of Business Education (CBE)
Abstract
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Gender equality within Local Government Authorities (LGAs) is an important aspect for spearheading sustainable
development in any country. Gender Mainstreaming Strategies (GMSs) are set to achieve Gender equality. Despite
various GMSs, gender gaps and their negative impacts to sustainable development persist in Tanzania. This can be
attributed to various challenges in the course of implementing GMSs. However, in Tanzania, few studies have
uncovered levels of gender equality as a result of GM in LGAs. Likewise, the data for challenges which may be
impeding the implementation of various GMSs are scarce. Hence, this paper is about (i) assessing some
implemented GMSs (ii) determining challenges encountered in mainstreaming gender, (iii) examining the levels of
gender equality achieved in the LGAs as a result of GMSs and (iv) determining gender equality levels of men and
women officials in urban and rural areas. A cross-sectional research design was employed using 358 respondents.
Levels of gender equality achieved were measured by using a Composite Gender Equality Index (CGEI). The Index
was adopted from the European Union Gender Equality Index (GEI) whose measure of Gender Equality (GE)
ranges from 1 to 100. The Man Whitney U test was used to test the hypothesis that (i) gender equality levels are the
same between male and female officials and also between Dodoma Municipality and Mpwapwa District officials.
The results showed that most of GMSs were not well implemented; therefore LGAs planners should make sure that
the implementation of existing GMSs is ensured according to government priorities and frameworks. Since, the
overall gender equality level was found to be low (34.7% and 24.6% for male and female respectively); hence more
gender mainstreaming strategies have to be implemented at the LGA level so as to spearhead sustainable
development. Moreover, the equality level was generally found to be the same for both male and female, urban and
rural officials, then, policy planners and LGAs gender sensitising bodies such as NGOs, media and CBOs were
urged toprovide GM measures targeting both MDC and DMC equally. Since large number of men reported high
level of gender equality while the overall level of gender equality was low, then it is recommended that men should
be used by policy makers as agents for change towards gender equality as they occupy many decision making
positions in LGAs as compared to women.
Keywords
Levels of Gender Equality, Gender Mainstreaming Strategies and Urban and Rural areas.