The African Women’s Development and Communication Network held a two day regional workshop on Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights in Tanzania from July 31- August 1, 2007 with the aim of supporting African women organizations to act and advocate around reproductive and sexual rights and influence national and policy frameworks to protect and promote reproductive and sexual rights.

The workshop was informed by a regional research project covering Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda on the status of sexual and reproductive health and rights. The workshop involved about 36 local organizations from all over the country working on sexual and reproductive health issues such as FGM, child and maternal mortality and morbidity, fistula, and maternal health services as well as sexual and reproductive rights of women and young girls.

The workshop process intended to produce and national advocacy strategy for activist organizations working on sexual and reproductive health and rights. It also indicated some of the gaps in the way existing interventions on sexual and reproductive rights are conceived and implemented. On analysis it seemed easier to engage with the health aspect of sexual and reproductive health issues i.e. the scientific aspect rather than the rights aspects i.e. the ideological aspect.

Thus sexual and reproductive rights were largely advocated on the basis of commitments to provide particular health services to women, men and young people and not so much from the premise of the body and personal autonomy over the body. Perhaps this was an indication of the general sensitivity surrounding advocacy over as sexual and reproductive rights where the criminalization of certain aspects of as sexual and reproductive rights like the right to choose and the influence of religious forces turn legal questions into moral questions. In such instances the question of women’s general powerlessness in the sexual relationship as well as in society are thrown out of the equation. Instead the status quo is reinforced with activists unable to achieve real shifts in guaranteeing women their sexual and reproductive rights and accordingly a greater realization of their as sexual and reproductive health. The general feeling of helplessness over the situation makes advocacy initiatives all the more imperative. Nonetheless great strides were made in identifying key areas for collective interventions. Legal reform into marriage and personal laws was seen as critical in promoting women’s as sexual and reproductive health and rights. Likewise improving the quality of reproductive health services through holistic interventions that address human resource issues, essential drugs and equipment; and improving the environment was emphasized. Networking between key actors and allies was equally stressed as vital in creating the critical mass to pressurize for action.

To get this audacious agenda moving political will is necessary at both the government level as well as among activists engaged in the struggle for women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights. Participating organizations will further the initiative by finalizing the plans and implementing some of the short term strategies before the 16 Days of Violence Against Women and World AIDS Day. Coordinators for specific zones would assure that the process is coordinated.

Salma Maoulidi Sahiba
Sisters Foundation is a member of FEMNET in Tanzania.