By: Team Tanzania

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Non-Government Organisations gathered in Tanzanian’s capital to celebrate CSO Week. The event is one of Tanzania’s largest gatherings of civil society organisations. The event aims to bring together key Civil Society members and their stakeholders to engage in in-depth discussions on their work, share experiences, and see how CSOs can strategically collaborate with citizens, government, donors, and the private sector. CSO week was the brainchild of a few local CSO leaders led by the Foundation of Civil Societies (FCS). Voice was among 24 organisations that assisted in organising this year’s CSO Week.

The event began with two days of an exhibition featuring local and international CSO’s and a four-day conference. The CSO Week kicked off with performances from local Tanzanian artists and was officially opened by the Speaker of the National Assembly Job Ndugai.

The theme for this year’s CSO week was the Contribution of CSOs to National Development to highlight and showcase the role CSOs play in bridging the development gap between the government and communities. In line with this theme, Voice hosted two sessions with our partners to demonstrate the value of the civil society sector in Tanzania’s social-economic development. One of the sessions was titled CSOs’ Contribution Towards Effective Implementation of the National Youth Policy and the National Youth Council Act. The session focused on the role of CSO’s in shaping youth policy, how CSOs contribute to youth development, and how to foster inclusive development that supports youth living with disabilities. The speakers of this session included Voice partners Zahare Salehe from Integrating Capacity and Community Advancement Organisation (ICCAO) and Rahim Rahimu from Deaf’s Sustenance and Development Organisation (DSDO). Other speakers included Reynald Maeda from the United Nations Association of Tanzania and James Kajugusi, Director of Youth Development from the Office of the Prime Ministers.

The second session, Women’s Inclusion in Leadership and Ownership of Resources, focused on building an inclusive economy and addressing women’s barriers to economic opportunities. The speakers for the session were Voice partners Mohamed Bassanga from Youth Empowerment and Mindset Change Organization (YEMCO), Zahra Salehe from Integrating Capacity and Community Advancement Organisation (ICCAO), and Amani Sekino Laizer from Lareto Co-operative Society LTD (LCSL). Other speakers included Salome Emmanuel and Nakaji Melaakiti from Women groups in Monduli district who are LCSL rightsholders, Rabia Saad from Action for Girls Foundation and Dekariswa Mmari from the Tanzania Federation of Disabled People’s Organisations (SHIVYAWATA).