30 Years After Beijing: Activists Call for Gender-Responsive Budgeting

As Tanzania marks over three decades since the landmark 1995 Beijing Conference on Women, gender rights Activist, Mary Rusimbi is urging a new wave of activists to intensify their push for gender-responsive policies and budgeting frameworks.

Speaking during a high-level panel at the “30+ Years Post-Beijing Celebration event organised by Women, Constitution, Election and Leadership Campaign(WCEL) in collaboration with WFT-T, Rusimbi emphasized that real change requires bold and sustained advocacy.

_“It’s important that we re-energize ourselves to understand and demand the development of national policies and budgets that are gender-responsive,” _Rusimbi told participants, who gathered to reflect on the progress and gaps since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

From Beijing to Budgeting

Having represented Tanzania at the 1995 conference in Beijing, Rusimbi reflected on how that moment sparked a lifelong commitment among activists to champion gender equality in policy spaces.

Following the conference, she and her fellow activists took a proactive stance, directly engaging ministries and demanding reform. _“Don’t wait to be invited,” _she recalled. “We went to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Gender, and they received us. One person I must mention is Peniel Limo, who was the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance at the time.”

Through such persistence, Rusimbi and her team helped usher in the first gender-responsive budget with in-depth analysis into government planning in 2000—a pivotal moment in Tanzania’s policy history.

“We taught ourselves how budgets work, how policies are shaped. We came to understand that the budget is not just about numbers; it shapes how society values men and women,” she said, adding that even at the family level, budgeting must reflect the different needs of girls and boys. She called on young activists to study the journey of those who came before them, drawing lessons from how post-Beijing energy was translated into systemic change.

Eda Sanga: "The Secret Was Unity"

Sharing the panel with Rusimbi, Eda Sanga, a veteran media and women’s rights advocate and founder of the Tanzania Media Women’s Association (TAMWA) recounted the collaborative momentum that led to one of Tanzania’s most significant legislative victories: the Sexual Offences Special Provisions Act (SOSPA).

“The collective strength we had in tackling gender-based violence helped us secure the SOSPA law,” she said. “It was through this unity that we were able to openly address these issues—issues that were once shrouded in silence due to customs and traditions.” Sanga noted that the years following Beijing involved tireless campaigning across continents—from Copenhagen and Vienna to Senegal and Beijing—and back home, strong coalitions were built.

Key partners like TAWLA (Tanzania Women Lawyers Association), TGNP (Tanzania Gender Networking Programme), and MEWATA (Medical Women Association of Tanzania) played an essential role in breaking taboos and influencing lawmakers.

“We involved Members of Parliament, dissected what we could do together, and with their support, we achieved more than we thought possible—quickly,” she added. “People asked us how we did it. The answer is simple: unity.”

Janeth Mawinza: “Beijing Sparked a Revolution in Me”

For Janeth Mawinza, Director of Women in Development Efforts (WAJIKI), the Beijing Conference was not just a professional milestone—it was personal.

“Beijing empowered me even before I faced life’s toughest battles,” she shared. “It gave me strength and I became a leader in the fight against gender-based violence.”

Her activism took her directly into the communities—door to door—where she launched a grassroots campaign titled “A Safe Journey Without Sexual Corruption for Girls and Students is Possible.”

Mawinza described the conference as the spark that ignited a movement based on social justice and revolutionary spirit, one that must now live within each woman and every advocate of equality.

“At the end of the day, let’s ensure that all women have a safe journey—one that brings transformation and value to their families,” she concluded.