General
Source: Tanzania Daily News
The Prime Minister, Mr Mizengo Pinda, has urged women who were nominated for the Woman-of-the-Year award 2013/2014 to continue with their efforts to impact on the rest of the country.
He made the call at the Woman-of-the-Year award gala at African Dream hall on the outskirts of Dodoma municipality. "You should continue shining as it is also a challenge keeping up the efforts you have been noted for ,"said the PM.
The award nominees were Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlement Development, Prof Anna Tibaijuka; Minister for Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Dr Asha-Rose Migiro; a prominent retired teacher and former Member of Parliament, Ms Maria Kamm, and Same East Member of Parliament, Mrs Anne Kilango Malecela.
Each was handed an award, but it was Ms Maria Kamm who turned out as Woman-of-the-Year award winner and was given an award and cheque for 5m/-.
The PM paid tribute to the Executive Director of Global Publishers, Mr Eric Shigongo, for recognising the success of women in society and founding the awards. He asked him to look into the possibility of holding the awards gala on International Women's Day on March 8.
The women who were recognised thanked Mr Shigongo for starting the initiative and highlighting their contributions to development. Started as a socialist political event, the March 8 day blended in the culture of many countries, primarily in Europe, including Russia.
In some regions, the day lost its political flavor, and became simply an occasion for men to express their love for women in a way somewhat similar to a mixture of Mother's Day and Valentine's Day.
In other regions, however, the political and human rights theme designated by the United Nations runs strong, and political and social awareness of the struggles of women worldwide are brought out and examined in a hopeful manner.