A programme has been inaugurated to attract more women to management positions, decision-making processes and on boards of directors of companies.

Under the Female Future Programme, launched by the Association of Tanzania Employers (Ate) and the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO), women will be trained on leadership, rhetoric and board competence.

Thirty-three women from 17 organisations will be exposed to business development practices, Ate executive director Aggrey Mlimuka said. “The programme will be undertaken in one year with classes done in 14 days spread in nine months. The courses will be directly linked to participants’ daily work routine at their workplaces,” said Dr Mlimuka.

After completion of the programme the participants will be registered as accredited directors of boards and professional leadership mentors. The main focus is to enable employers to have effective business environment and risk management at the helm.” Dr Mlimuka assured the company CEOs of developing their employees to become more potential leaders capable of overcoming fear and managing fright when negotiating in various issues.

Ate recognises all the participating companies since they form part of results for Female Future Tanzania in addressing a number of sustainable development goals, quality education, gender equality, decent work and economic growth in Tanzania.

The programme connects people, performance, personal and organisational success as a means to increase productivity at workplaces.

The first participants are from AAR Insurance, Airtel Tanzania, Akiba Commercial Bank, Barclays Bank Tanzania, Heritage Insurance Company Limited, Iris Executive Development Centre, Kilimanjaro Airports Development Company, Medical Stores Department, National Housing Corporation, the National Microfinance Bank and the Social Security Regulatory Authority.