President Stubb applauds Tanzania’s women empowerment project

Dar es Salaam. The President of Finland, Mr Alexander Stubb, described the Finnish-supported initiative Machinga Complex in Dar es Salaam as a shining example of multi-stakeholder cooperation to promote gender equality and empower women.

The Finnish President, who is on a three-day official visit to Tanzania, made the remarks during a tour of the facility in Ilala District on Friday, 16 May 2025.

He praised the Women’s Leadership and Economic Rights (WLER) Project as a model of collaboration between the governments of Finland and Tanzania, UN Women, and women in both business and politics.

“I truly appreciate this visit—it was the perfect way to conclude our trip. It brought together five key elements that I believe form a recipe for success: women, entrepreneurship, Tanzania, Finland, and the United Nations,” said President Stubb.

The visit focused on examining the impact of the Women’s Leadership and Economic Rights (WLER) Project.

The initiative is implemented by UN Women in partnership with the Government of Tanzania and supported by the Government of Finland.

President Stubb was accompanied by the First Lady, Ms Suzanne Innes-Stubb, and a high-level Finnish delegation, including Members of Parliament.

The delegation engaged with women traders and local officials who have directly benefited from the project.

Several women shared how their lives had been transformed by the WLER Project through training in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and balancing care responsibilities with business.

Now in its final year, the WLER Project operates across six regions and 18 local government authorities in Tanzania.

It aims to increase women’s involvement in local leadership and economic decision-making.

Since the project began, over 1,060 women have secured leadership positions during the 2024 local government elections.

In addition, it has enabled access to interest-free loans through local partnerships and supported more than 600 women in Mtwara to register land in their names.

UN Women Country Representative, Ms Hodan Addou, underlined the strategic importance of the Machinga Complex as a commercial centre for more than 3,000 women traders and as a focal point for the WLER Project’s success.

She said the initiative has helped women gain access to capital and larger markets, alongside training in leadership skills and awareness of gender rights.

The project also addresses the need for safe and violence-free working environments, while encouraging a fair distribution of unpaid care work.

These efforts, she noted, enable women to expand their businesses and achieve greater financial independence.

Minister of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups, Dr Dorothy Gwajima, commended the WLER Project for empowering women entrepreneurs in the informal sector.

She said the Machinga Complex stands as a national example of Tanzania’s commitment to the Generation Equality Forum agenda.

Dr Gwajima highlighted how the initiative supports women’s inclusion in the economy, particularly within informal markets, and contributes to sustainable community development.

The visit highlighted the significant impact of investing in women’s leadership and economic empowerment—not only improving livelihoods at the Machinga Complex, but also promoting inclusive, locally driven development across Tanzania.