Celebrating International Women’s Day: Advancing the Beijing Platform for Action.

As the world commemorates International Women’s Day (IWD), Women Fund Tanzania Trust (WFT-T) stands in solidarity with global efforts to accelerate gender equality. This year’s theme, “Accelerate Action,” aligns with the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action—an ambitious blueprint for advancing women’s rights, including the empowerment of the girl child.

**The Beijing Platform for Action and Girl Child Empowerment: ** In a small village in Dodoma, Neema, a 14-year-old girl, dreams of becoming a doctor. Yet, her reality tells a different story. With her parents struggling to make ends meet, and societal expectations pressing her towards early marriage, her future is uncertain. Neema’s story echoes that of millions of girls who continue to face gender-based barriers despite decades of advocacy.

The Beijing Declaration, adopted in 1995, remains a landmark framework for gender equality, urging governments, civil society, and development partners to take bold steps toward the full empowerment of women and girls. However, stories like Neema’s remind us that while progress has been made, deep-rooted challenges persist, including child marriage, limited access to education, and gender-based violence.

In response, WFT-T in collaboration with the Women Coalitions (Women constitution, election and leadership coalition, Ant-Sextortion coalition, SRHR Coalition) are using International Women’s Day as a platform to reinforce the urgency of implementing the Beijing commitments and holding governments accountable for protecting and promoting girls’ rights.

This was done through launching Why Girl Child campaign running from pre-IWD to the post-celebration period.

Why This Campaign Now?

The urgency of this campaign stems from ongoing societal debates questioning the need for girl child empowerment. Some argue that boys are being left behind, while others claim gender equality has already been achieved. However, these narratives fail to recognize the lived realities of girls like Asha, who was forced to drop out of school after becoming pregnant at 16 due to inadequate age-appropriate reproductive health education and systemic support.

Campaign Objectives and Implementation The key objectives of the campaign include:

• Deepening Public Understanding: Educating communities on why girl child empowerment is crucial for societal transformation and national development.
• Challenging Harmful Narratives: Addressing misconceptions that undermine gender equality and advocating for policy reforms that eliminate systemic discrimination.

To ensure sustained advocacy some of the implementation strategies were:

• Strengthening Media Engagement: Partnering with journalists and editors to amplify stories that highlight the importance of the Beijing Platform for Action and its relevance today.
• Organizing capacity-building sessions for coalition members targeting young feminist women to enhance their advocacy skills and ensure the continuity of the movement.

Through social and mainstream media campaigns, thought-provoking discussions, and knowledge-sharing platforms, the coalition is mobilizing diverse stakeholders, from policymakers to grassroots organizations, to drive collective action for gender justice.

Moving Forward: Strengthening Accountability

As the campaign gains momentum, it will culminate in a strategic convening of key stakeholders to deliberate on ways to accelerate accountability mechanisms for women’s and girls’ rights. This convening will provide an opportunity to assess progress on the Beijing Platform’s commitments and strategize on sustainable interventions that address the structural barriers impeding gender equality.

Conclusion

Three decades after the adoption of the Beijing Declaration, International Women’s Day serves as a crucial reminder that the fight for gender equality remains unfinished. Neema, Asha, Mariam, and countless other girls and women still struggle for their rights every day. By amplifying their voices, dismantling discriminatory systems, and demanding accountability, WFT-T and its Women’s Coalition reaffirm their commitment to advancing the Beijing Platform for Action and securing a future where every girl can thrive