Women's voices must occupy a central place in shaping political responses
In Dodoma, Tanzania has formalized its commitment to host a gathering of women parliamentarians from across the Great Lakes region — a territory shaped by displacement, conflict, and the quiet persistence of inequality. The agreement, signed at Parliament's headquarters, brings together twelve nations under a shared recognition: that women, who hold barely more than a quarter of legislative seats across the region, must be architects of the peace they are so often asked to endure. It is a moment that asks whether institutional will, when gathered in one room, can begin to rewrite the terms of political belonging.
- Across twelve Great Lakes nations, women hold only 28% of parliamentary seats — a number that makes the urgency of this conference impossible to ignore.
- The region's shared burdens — armed conflict, mass displacement, humanitarian crisis — have long sidelined women from the very decisions that determine their survival.
- Tanzania's Parliament stepped forward not merely as a venue but as an active convener, with Speaker Mussa Zungu framing the hosting as both an honour and a strategic obligation.
- Some 200 women parliamentarians, joined by civil society and international partners, will converge in Dar es Salaam to build a joint regional action plan grounded in UN Security Council Resolution 1325.
- The conference is being watched as a test of whether cross-border legislative solidarity can translate into measurable shifts in how women are represented and empowered across the region.
Tanzania has agreed to host a landmark gathering of women parliamentarians from across the Great Lakes region, with the host agreement signed at Parliament's headquarters in Dodoma in the presence of National Assembly Speaker Mussa Zungu. The event will take place in Dar es Salaam and bring together approximately 200 women legislators from twelve member states — Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, the Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia — alongside civil society groups and international partners.
Speaker Zungu described the hosting as an honour while making clear that Tanzania sees the conference as a strategic undertaking, not a ceremonial one. His remarks emphasized a dual purpose: deepening women's leadership in governance while strengthening the region's collective capacity for peace. Sergio Vaz, chair of the Forum of Parliaments' Executive Committee, reinforced that framing, arguing that in regions defined by conflict and inequality, women's voices must be central to political and institutional life — and that this conference exists to create that space.
The backdrop is a stark statistical reality: women hold an average of just 28 percent of parliamentary seats across the twelve member states. The conference will offer women legislators a platform for peer dialogue and shared learning, with the aim of producing a joint regional action plan on women, peace, and security anchored in UN Security Council Resolution 1325 — the foundational 2000 framework recognizing women's essential role in conflict prevention.
Tanzania's selection reflects its sustained engagement with regional stability and ICGLR initiatives. What the agreement ultimately signals is a collective acknowledgment that legislative bodies across the Great Lakes face a common challenge — ensuring women help shape the laws and policies governing their communities. Whether the momentum generated in Dar es Salaam translates into concrete change will be closely watched by regional observers and development partners alike.
Tanzania has committed to hosting a gathering of roughly 200 women parliamentarians from across the Great Lakes region later this year. The agreement was signed at Parliament's headquarters in Dodoma, with the Speaker of the National Assembly, Mussa Zungu, present to witness the moment. It represents a formal pledge between Tanzania's Parliament and the Forum of Parliaments of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region—a body representing twelve nations bound by geography and shared challenges.
The twelve member states span a vast territory: Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, the Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. These are countries navigating complex security environments, humanitarian pressures, and the displacement of populations. The conference, scheduled to take place in Dar es Salaam, will bring together not only the parliamentarians themselves but also civil society groups, development partners, and representatives from regional and international organizations.
Speaker Zungu framed the hosting as an honour, emphasizing that Tanzania stands ready to manage the logistics and coordination the event demands. His remarks centered on a dual commitment: advancing women's leadership while simultaneously strengthening the region's capacity for peace. The language was measured but clear—this is not a ceremonial gathering but a strategic initiative.
Sergio Vaz, who chairs the Executive Committee of the Forum of Parliaments, offered a broader context for why the conference matters. He described it as essential infrastructure for women's participation in the decisions that shape their societies. In regions marked by conflict, displacement, and inequality, he argued, women's voices must occupy a central place in shaping political and institutional responses. The conference, in his view, creates that space.
The numbers tell part of the story. Across the twelve member states, women hold an average of only 28 percent of parliamentary seats. That figure sits at the heart of why this gathering exists. The conference aims to reverse that trajectory by offering women legislators a dedicated platform for dialogue, learning from peers, and building a joint regional action plan focused on women, peace, and security. The plan will be anchored in UN Security Council Resolution 1325, a framework adopted in 2000 that recognizes women's essential role in conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
Tanzania's selection as host reflects more than symbolic recognition. The country has maintained a consistent commitment to regional stability and has been an active participant in ICGLR initiatives. Parliament itself has taken the lead in facilitating the event, providing the venue for the signing ceremony and coordinating with the secretariat and conference management team.
What emerges from the agreement is a recognition that legislative bodies in the Great Lakes region face a shared challenge: how to ensure that women shape the laws and policies that affect their communities. The conference will test whether bringing these parliamentarians together—across borders, across different political systems, across varying levels of conflict and stability—can generate momentum for change. The joint action plan they develop will be watched closely by development partners and regional observers as a measure of whether such gatherings translate into concrete shifts in how women are represented and heard.
Citas Notables
Tanzania remains fully committed to supporting the operations and coordination efforts required for the successful hosting of the event— Speaker Mussa Zungu
In a regional context still marked by complex security challenges, humanitarian crises, population displacement, and social inequalities, it is imperative to ensure that women's voices occupy a central place in shaping political and institutional responses— Sergio Vaz, Chairperson of the Executive Committee of the Forum of Parliaments
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why does Tanzania specifically matter as a host for this conference?
Tanzania has positioned itself as a reliable partner in regional stability efforts. It's not just about having a capital city with good infrastructure—it's about trust. The country has shown up consistently in ICGLR work, so when they volunteer to host something this significant, the other member states believe it will be done well.
The 28 percent figure for women in parliament—is that considered low by regional standards?
It's low by any standard. Globally, women hold around 26 percent of parliamentary seats, so the Great Lakes region is barely above the global average despite decades of advocacy. But the real issue isn't the number itself—it's that in regions dealing with active conflict and displacement, women's voices get pushed to the margins even further.
What does a "joint regional action plan" actually accomplish if it's just a document?
It's a commitment mechanism. When twelve parliaments sign onto the same plan, it creates political pressure to follow through. Each country has to explain to its peers why it isn't implementing what was agreed. It also gives women parliamentarians a shared framework to push back against their own governments.
Is there a risk this becomes just another conference where people talk and nothing changes?
That's always the risk. But the fact that they're anchoring it to UN Resolution 1325 matters—that's a binding international framework with actual reporting requirements. And they're bringing civil society and development partners into the room, not just parliamentarians. That creates accountability beyond the formal agreement.
Why does peace and security get linked to women's representation?
Because women are disproportionately affected by conflict—as refugees, as survivors of violence, as breadwinners when men are displaced. But they're also excluded from the peace tables where decisions get made. The evidence shows that when women are involved in peace negotiations and post-conflict reconstruction, the outcomes are more durable. It's not ideological—it's practical.