President Alexander Stubb commends Tanzania’s Women’s Leadership and Economic Rights Project, highlighting its impact on female empowerment and bilateral cooperation.
During his official visit to Tanzania on May 16, 2025, Finnish President Alexander Stubb lauded the Women’s Leadership and Economic Rights (WLER) Project as a model of effective international collaboration promoting gender equality.
Touring the Machinga Complex in Dar es Salaam’s Ilala District, he emphasized the project’s success in integrating efforts from the Tanzanian and Finnish governments, UN Women, and local communities.
President Stubb, accompanied by First Lady Suzanne Innes-Stubb and a Finnish delegation, engaged with women entrepreneurs benefiting from the WLER Project.
These women shared experiences of enhanced financial literacy, entrepreneurial skills, and improved work-life balance achieved through the initiative.
Now in its final year, the WLER Project operates across six regions and 18 local government authorities in Tanzania.
It has notably increased women’s participation in leadership roles, with over 1,060 women securing positions during the 2024 local government elections.
Additionally, the project has facilitated access to interest-free loans and assisted more than 600 women in Mtwara in registering land ownership.
UN Women Country Representative Hodan Addou highlighted the Machinga Complex’s role as a commercial hub for over 3,000 women traders and a testament to the project’s success.
She noted that the initiative provides access to capital, market expansion, leadership training, and promotes safe, equitable working environments.
Dr. Dorothy Gwajima, Minister of Community Development, Gender, Women, and Special Groups, commended the WLER Project for empowering women in the informal sector.
She emphasized its alignment with Tanzania’s commitment to the Generation Equality Forum agenda and its contribution to sustainable community development.
President Stubb’s visit underscores the significance of international partnerships in advancing women’s empowerment and the positive outcomes of such collaborative initiatives.
