UNA Tanzania has 55 years of Working Experience: The organisation was established to champion people’s movement for human agendas such as Human rights, economic development and ensure freedom of each and every citizen regardless of background lifestyle and choices. Our exceptional history and experience stretches back from 1964, with our most productive tenure from 1996. We pride ourselves on being one of the first strong youth led movements in the country. UNA Tanzania is among organizations fostered the Establishment ofa Commission on Human Rights and Good Governance: UNA Tanzania led a team of 10 NGOs to collate public opinion, participate in developing legislation and lobby parliament, for the establishment of a Commission of Human Rights and Good Governance in Tanzania. The institution has now been in operation since 2001. UNA Tanzania is recognized for its contribution to the establishment of the Regulations of 2018, which explicitly name UNA Tanzania representative during the commissioners and chairperson of the commission selection process. Currently, UNA Tanzania drives for the achievement of SDGs 2030. Our focus is realizing economic rights, equality and meaningful inclusion of right holders likely to be left behind. We do this through addressing climate change, financial inequalities, poverty and entrepreneurship skills gaps and lead CSOs in the review and implementation of policy and legal frameworks targeting rights of women, youth and people with disabilities.

In 2020/2021 UNA Tanzania organised youth consultations for youth contribution in the Five Years Development Plan III which is the main development vehicle for the next five years. The consultations led to inclusion of youth voices in the plan

UNA Tanzania seeks to implement Vijana -Jukwaani (Which translates into Youth taking Stage) project with the overall goal of fostering the representation and participation of youth in influencing decision making processes from local to national level embodying the spirit of nothing about us, without us by meaningfully engaging in the processes to develop annual development plans. The project will inspire evidence-based youth driven dialogue and action, from community level to national platforms while utilizing existing youth platforms in Mbeya, Mtwara, Mwanza, Arusha and Dodoma, target youth groups that are mostly likely to be left behind including young women and youth with disabilities.

Youth priorities will be packaged and repurposed to create advocacy messages which will inform a duty bearer – right holder strategic dialogue between parliamentarians and the youth aiming to inform youth and influence the approval process in the parliament and through youth national dialogues.

An assessment of the annual development plan, which is the main implementation strategy for the Five Years Development Plan and its subsequent budget will be conducted annually to evaluate how much youth priorities were considered and included, in the plan and its budgets, after key advocacy messages will be developed and disseminated throughout the year, forming baseline for the next cycle.

As a result of strategic dialogues with the parliamentarians, youth have been able to influence members of parliament decisions and contributions in the parliament inspired by their most critical issues and priorities. Young women, especially those in the most marginalized situations such as young mother’s voices are echoed in dialogues and are influencing the development of annual development plans. Annual Development plans and subsequent budgets are responding to youth needs and priorities as a result of engagements and advocacy.