Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan will award five women for their contribution to the country’s development during this year’s gender festival to be hosted by Tanzania Gender Networking Programme (TGNP).

Others, who will be honoured for their notable contribution during the festival dubbed “The Transformation of Oppressive Systems for Gender Equality and Sustainable Development” are former Speaker of the National Assembly Anne Makinda, Dr Ester Mwaikambo, the first female in Tanzania to acquire a doctorate degree from University of Dar es Salaam, Ms Getrude Mongella, the first President of Pan African Parliament and Bunda Urban Member of Parliament Ester Bulaya and Fatuma Baraka (Bi Kidude).

Speaking to reporters yesterday, TGNP Executive Director Lilian Liundi said TGNP recognised the role the five women had played in bringing about social equality and development to the country.

Speaking about the festival, Ms Liundi said the main objective was to share experience and knowledge, celebrate achievements, assess challenges, deliberate on strategies and agree on recommendations and a way forward with regard to bringing about gender equality.

The festival is expected to bring together more than 2,000 people from different parts of the World. Kenya and Mozambique have copied the festival idea and are also doing it in their countries.

“We are discussing with other partners and stakeholders on gender issues to see if we can come up with a gender festival for African countries,” noted Ms Liundi.

Ms Vicensia Shule, the TGNP Board Director said this year’s festival would bring topics that affected women’s development by 60 percent. According to a gender economics of women and poverty eradication report, about 60 per cent of Tanzanian women live in extreme poverty, said Ms Shule.

Gender festival organisers include Tanzania Women and Water Network, School Gender Empowerment Hubs, Gender Development Seminar Series (GDSS) and Knowledge Centres and several Women and human rights organisations and individuals Young Feminist Forum (YFF).