WAWATA with the General Secretary for the Ministry of Community Development, gender, women and special groups, Dr Shekilage, and his Deputy, Felister Mdemu

The Association of  Catholic Women in Tanzania (WAWATA) visited the Parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania in Dodoma the Capital on November 4 this year on invitation of the Minister of Social Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups Hon. Dr. Dorothy Gwajima. After observing the parliamentary session and being introduced in the parliament by the Chairman of the Parliament, Dr. Joseph Kizito Mhagama, WAWATA held a meeting with the Ministry of Social Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups led by the Secretary of the Ministry Dr. Seif Shekalaghe.

The aim of the ministry was to know more about WAWATA, their objectives, mission, vision, what they do including their strategic and action plans. Explaining the role of WAWATA in society, the National Chairperson of WAWATA Mrs. Evaline Malisa Ntenga said that "WAWATA" was established in 1972 with the main goal of uniting Catholic Women in Tanzania to sanctify themselves and the world. Every Catholic woman, baptized on the basis of the Catholic Church is a member of WAWATA, there is no entry fee. WAWATA has a Constitution that guides them whose purpose aligns with the Constitution of the World Union of Catholic Women's Organisation - (WUCWO)

Work plan for them in 2023-2025

Mrs. Evaline explained how WAWATA works through a work plan which is planned annually each year based on the major priorities of the Church and WUCWO Resolutions.

Some of the Key priorities for 2024/25 are as listed here under:

• Family Formation

WAWATA is working hand in hand with the Lay apostolate department in their focus on family formation by responding to the call by the Holy Father responding with renewed conviction to the call for motherhood and fatherhood. The resolution encourage families to invest in the journey of loving life within the family responding to the Holy Father’s Encyclical ‘Amoris Letitia' ('The Joy of Love').

More focus for the current year is on the boy child who in the recent past have been forgotten while they also experience different forms of violence.

• Environmental Care

WAWATA continues to implement the 2019 action plan of environmental care and protecting life by providing more education to children and youth. Care of creation to create a healthy planet depends on all of us guided by the Encyclical of 'Laudato Si"'.

"Since 2019 and towards our 50th anniversary celebration in 2022, we had planned to plant 340,000 trees in the country through all 34 diocese, parish, and small Christian Community. We succeeded to plant 530,416 now we continue to nurture them", she said while adding; "This year WUCWO started a campaign to plant hope through Planting Trees. We want to plant trees to give hope to our generation that they will inherit a healthy planet. WAWATA joined this campaign and we hope before end of the campaign we will be able to plant at least 1milion tress across all 35 Diocese".

• Freedom of Worship

WAWATA respect Freedom of Worship as they consider the freedom of worship is the basis of the way to build brotherhood and bring Peace, similar to the Holy Father's encyclical 'Fratelli Tutti' in collaboration with other denominations to find a solution to cross challenges in communities caused by religious conflicts.

For this purpose, at the beginning of each month of March, every year women from Christian churches (Catholics, Lutherans, Salvation Army, EGT, Pentecost and others) come together to pray a common prayer throughout the country.

• Citizenship Education

WAWATA provides citizenship and political education while encouraging its member to actively participate politics, including the 2024 local government elections and the 2025 general elections. In the 2020 general election, some members of WAWATA council managed to get council seats in the local Government - Hon Paschazia Mayalla - Dodoma ward councilor, Hon Anjelina Nyangasa - special seats councilor, Hon Josephine John Qamunga - Sisimba ward councilor in Mbeya City etc.

• Child Protection

WAWATA provides entrepreneurship education for Catholic and non-Catholic women. They pay more attention to the Protection and Safety of Children regardless of gender.

• Fight against gender violence

This is a project implemented by the World Women Observatory (WWO) to reach out to women who are going through various challenges, especially the human trafficking, sexual violence, refugees, discrimination and gender-based violence which is currently a big challenge in our societies.

Partnership between WAWATA and the Ministry: A step towards change

Mrs. Evaline concluded by requesting the Ministry to sign MOU with WAWATA/WUCWO which will allow both parties to partner in different projects of common interest. She added that WAWATA is looking to organise a country wide campaign against Gender based violence uder WWO Project early 2025.

The Secretary General of the Ministry of Social Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups, Dr. Seif Shekalaghe, appreciated WAWATA for visiting the ministry as the work being carried out by WAWATA aligns with the key priorities of the ministry. He also appreciated WAWATA for what they are and do for helping the government to shape a better society.

Responding to their request for partnership, Dr. Shekalaghe, asked WAWATA to work directly with the Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry Ms Felista Mdemu who deals with all issues of Gender and Women, to work on the MOU and the planned campaign.

About Child safeguarding he said that, the ministry also have regulations and policies to Eradicate all forms of Violence called MTAKUWWA. This document need to be read by all Tanzanians from all social groups and all genders regardless of any differences in politics, ideology or belief. The aim of this document is to create a community network capable of raising voices to fight and eradicate violence against all genders men, women, children and the elderly.

Regarding the tree planting campaign, he requested WAWATA to make an assessment and see how many trees among the 500,000 planted have grown, how many are now beraing fruit,” he said.

He wanted WAWATA in the 52 years since its establishment in the country to really identify the impact they have brought to society. He has promised to cooperate with WAWATA in all areas of their strategic plan while congratulating Chairperson Evaline Malisa and admitting that she is an icon and gift to the church who demonstrate clearly the love she have for all human especially the underprivileged.