Addressing a press conference on Wednesday at her Maisara office, the minister said the pandemic was one of the worst calamities to face humanity and other development activities would be meaningless if the scourge was left to continue ravaging the masses.

“I urge all contestants be they for parliamentary seats, presidency or what not to forget to take the anti-HIV/Aids message to the masses even as they go out of their way to seek votes. The scourge has put us in danger,” Hassan said.

The disease, she said was silently devastating many lives in Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar.

The minister was introducing the International Women’s Day, which climaxes next week Tuesday. She said women were supposed to use the day to reminiscence on their development.

“We have moved ahead in Zanzibar, but we should do more. How do we use the 30 per cent seats allocation for women in the parliament? This is the right time to address that question,” she said.

The minister said that while on global perspectives this year’s theme for the day is ‘Gender Equality Beyond 2005: Building a More Secure Future,’ at the national level the theme is ‘show up women to vote or to be voted for.’

She urged women to turn out in big numbers to vie for political posts.
“The year 2005 is an opportunity for women gender equality, a time to review ten years down the line after the declaration of Beijing Platform for Action,” she said.

Hassan said that one of the most effective tools for poverty reduction would be to increase educational opportunities for women and girls.

She said according to the United Nations studies investing in women’s education lead to significant improvements in household health, nutrition, and income and reduction in infant mortality rates.

Source: Guardian