Mobilizing Tanzanian women: "feminine reclamations" and economic empowerment

Abstract

During the past three decades women's movements have gained worldwide momentum to form an increasing presence in differently developed nations of the global "South". The thesis explores why women in Tanzania join women's groups, with focus on feminine consciousness and economic empowerment as suspected motivations for membership. To investigate the topic surveys, personal interviews, and a focus group discussion were administered with grassroots women's group-members in Moshi, Tanzania over a five week period. Analysis of the results confirms that women's group-members are motivated by feminine consciousness and economic empowerment. The findings also reveal that the women's group-members are motivated by notions of gender equality and women's rights attainments. Overall, it appears Tanzanian women practice an emerging type of global women's activism movement wherein various ideologies combine to affect social change for women and communities alike.