KOICA Supports Gender Equality Project in Rural Tanzania with $5 Million Funding by 2023

Improving Socioeconomic Status by Supporting Income Increase for Rural Women and Prevention and Eradication of Violence Against Women
Tripartite Cooperation with UN Women and UNFPA

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] KOICA held a kickoff meeting for the "Singida and Shinyanga Region Women and Girls Empowerment for Gender Equality Implementation Project" on the 29th of last month (local time) in Singida Region, located in central Tanzania, the agency announced on the 1st.

This project is a trilateral cooperation between KOICA, UN Women, and UNFPA, with a budget of 5 million USD (approximately 5.8 billion KRW) to be implemented by 2023. It aims to improve the socio-economic status of Tanzanian women and adolescent girls and to eradicate gender-based violence.

In Tanzania, about 75% (approximately 45 million) of the total population of around 60 million are engaged in agriculture. Most of them are women, and the average monthly income of women working in agriculture is only 42 USD (about 50,000 KRW). Additionally, 40% of women aged 15 to 49 in Tanzania have experienced physical violence, and among women in the same age group who have been married, 50% have suffered spousal violence. Notably, the proportion of women experiencing spousal violence rises to 78% in the northern rural areas.

Considering the socio-economic difficulties faced by rural women, KOICA selected Singida and Shinyanga Regions, which are underdeveloped rural areas among Tanzania’s 31 regions, as the project sites. Through this project, KOICA plans to construct agricultural product storage warehouses and collection centers in the area and provide training to strengthen agricultural technology and marketing capabilities necessary for effective agricultural production to 48,000 women farmers, thereby supporting income increase.

To improve the lower land ownership rate among women farmers compared to men, KOICA will support administrative work for issuing land ownership certificates in the region and simultaneously conduct a large-scale campaign to raise awareness among villagers to ensure women are not excluded from decision-making regarding land ownership.

For the prevention and response to violence against women in the project area, a dedicated unit for female victims of violence will be established within the police station. A one-stop center providing treatment, legal services, and psychological counseling will also be set up in hospitals, and medical staff will receive training on medical care for sexual violence victims.

Mo Ji-eun, Deputy Director of KOICA Tanzania Office, said, "Through cooperation between KOICA and the UN (UN Women, UNFPA), we expect to more effectively support income-increasing activities of Tanzanian women farmers and responses to gender violence, ultimately contributing to enhancing women’s socio-economic status. KOICA will continue efforts to achieve gender equality goals in Tanzania."

Rehema Enchimbi, Governor of Singida Region, Tanzania, said, "We are grateful that KOICA’s project will enable us to establish education and facilities necessary for women farmers’ agricultural activities in Singida Region, and we will spare no cooperation needed for the project."