PROBLEMS FACING TANZANIAN WOMEN IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

AUTHORS:

CHIMA, JOYCE,L.
STUDENT AT IFM,
ADVANCED DIPLOMA IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, 3RD YEAR 2003/2004
P.O. BOX 12606,DAR ES SALAAM.
E mail : jpchima@yahoo.com
Phone 0741 445338 / 0748 445338

MUGOGO, FRANK
STUDENT AT IFM,
ADVANCED DIPLOMA IN COMPUTER SCIENCE 3RD YEAR 2003/2004
P.O. BOX 313 DAR ES SALAAM.
E mail : fmugogo@yahoo.co.uk
Phone: 0744 819993

ABSTRACT.

This paper tries to look at the way information technology is impacting the lives of a Tanzanian woman in her efforts to emancipate herself economically, socially and politically. It is a clear fact that Tanzanian woman has a lot of skills and knowledge which if full utilized, can play a great role in women emancipation process. Yet, there has for so long been low participation of women in the information technology field. As a result, information technology has not yet played a significant role as far as women's empowerment is concerned. In this paper we will try to examine in short why that has been the situation in Tanzania.

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 WHAT IS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY?

A number of definitions have so far been developed on what really information technology is. Some people define Information technology to include all matters concerned with the furtherance of computer science and technology and with the design, development, installation, and implementation of information system and application1. Others scholars define Information Technology to be the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of all types of information using computer technology and telecommunication system2.

Others define information technology as any equipment or interconnected system or subsystem of equipment that is used in the automatic acquisition, storage, manipulation, management, movement, control, display, switching, interchange, transmission or reception of data or information4. It is a term that encompasses all forms of technology used to create, store, exchange and use information in its various forms (business data, voice conversations, still images, motion pictures, multimedia presentations and other forms)3.

1.2 SOCIOCULTURAL POSITION OF A TANZANIAN WOMAN

For long time now in almost all spheres of life the position of a woman in Tanzania, and maybe in many African countries has been considered to be subordinate in relation to man's position. This could be due to the cultural, traditional and sometimes even religious factors. But of late, a lot have been said about empowering a woman. With the introduction of the information technology, it is expected that women will be able to capitalize on the invention and strengthen their position in their respective societies.

2.1 WHY WOMEN IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY?

Information Technology includes matters concerned with furthering computer science and technology, design, development, installation and implementation of information systems and applications5. It can therefore be said that the topic "Tanzanian Women in Information Technology" is trying to look at the participation of women in all the components of the various fields as mentioned in the above definitions.

May be it is important at this point to try to think why the question of women in information technology needs attention at this moment. A number of suggestions have been put forward. These include the fact that ever since the introduction of the information technology, the participation of women in different aspects of this sector has been low compared to men's participation. The "WinIT" project, which was a research carried out at the Griffith University in the United States showed that for the last 30 years no increase in female participation in the information technology was noted. Similarly, participation of female students in the industry has declined6. Before looking into the participation of women in the information technology in Tanzania, let me first look at the position in the employment of Tanzanian women in general. In short, there is a need to look at the way information technology is affecting women in Tanzania, socially and economically. In other words, how information technology is being used to empower Tanzanian women.

2.2 WOMEN EMPOWERMENT THROUGH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.

Empowerment of women is a crucial matter in this era of information technology. This could be because, first, mothers spend most of their time with children than men. In such a situation, it is easier for any knowledge to easily pass from a mother to a child. Second, the empowerment of a woman is necessary as it creates a generation of the educated people who are well informed and therefore able to make or to influence the making of reasonable decision in this world full of crimes and immoral conducts many of them caused by ignorance, poverty and despair to mention but a few. Information technology can be among the best way to help in this empowering process. Therefore it is very important to study the position of Tanzanian women in the information technology industry.

.2.3 POSITION OF WOMEN EMPLOYMENT IN TANZANIA.

In a comparison with their male counterparts, a number of women employees in a formal sector in general, is low, together with all the efforts which have so far been made to address the situation. Whenever women are employed, they do not hold high positions in the organizations they are employed in. Many women are employed in an informal sector. The National Employment Policy of Tanzania gives the figure of 54% to be the total labor force which the women constitutes, in Tanzania. A large part of that labour force is employed in the agriculture sector where it constitutes 53.8%. As employment is a legal matter the world over, in Tanzania likewise, employment matters are regulated by a number of laws, including the Security of Employment Act, Cap 574, the Severance Allowance Act, Cap 487 and the Industrial Court of Tanzania Act, No 41 of 1967. The Constitution, being the base of all other laws in Tanzania, in Article 22 provides for the right to work and the right to equal working opportunity. Article 23(1) prohibits any kind of discrimination as far as employment and working is concerned.

2.4 IS ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT IN TANZANIA GENDER BALANCED?

It can be seen from the above observation that the government might be advocating for equal rights for women in workplace. However, these rights in practice are not ensured. In the public sector, which employs 80 percent of the salaried labour force, certain statutes restrict women's access to some jobs or hours of employment. For example, in general, women may not be employed between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m7. Though progress on women's rights has been more noticeable in urban areas, strong traditional norms still divide labor along gender lines and place women in a subordinate position especially in rural areas. It is a known fact that the information technology has not reached the rural areas, and if it has, it is at a very insignificant level. Therefore it can be said straight away that so far, together with a low contribution of the information technology to urban woman, it has contributed very little to the rural woman. In such a situation, a lot is still to be done if Tanzania really wants to use information technology to empower Tanzanian women.

Another interesting fact concerning the employment of women in general, is the education system in the country, as it is expected that before being employed, any woman must have gone through a system of education in Tanzania or elsewhere. As many Tanzanian women go through Tanzanian schools and colleges, we will look into Tanzanian education system. It is provided by the law that there are seven years of compulsory primary education, which is from standard one to standard seven, which is provided free. However, parents meet the costs of things like exercise books, and uniforms, which has resulted into denial of primary education to some children. The primary school dropout rate is between 30 and 40 percent. The literacy rate is approximately 70 percent; however, for girls it is only 57 percent compared with 80 percent for boys8.

In the past, girls who became pregnant were expelled from school. Despite a 1996 law to permit pregnant girls to continue with their education following maternity absences, the practice of forcing pregnant girls out of school remains effective. The rate of girls' enrollment in school is lower than that of boys, and generally declines with each additional year of schooling. For example, in 1997, 78.3% of male children were enrolled to join standard one in primary schools compared to 77.2% of female children. In the following year, that is 1998 only 75.8% of female children were enrolled to join standard one9. In some districts, there are declines in attendance as the result of early marriages. All these factors have proved to be disadvantageous to women as far as knowledge in information technology and employment in general are concerned. With little or no education at all, a Tanzanian women, majority of whom living in villages, stand little or no chance at all of benefiting from the coming of the information technology. They will not benefit because with no knowledge in the field of information technology, a Tanzanian woman stand no chance of mastering the technology to the extent of competing in this era of globalisation.

2.6 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN TANZANIA

So far in Tanzania, the information technology industry has been in the rise, if the measure will be the amount of computers and other materials connected with it currently being imported in the country. The increase in the importation of computers could be due to the policy of the country, which has decided to remove the taxation on computers, computer accessories and other information technology facilities. As a result a number of Internet cafes, telephone houses and stationery bureaus have been opened up in almost all major towns and cities in the country. Although we did not collect any verified data, my quick survey in the cities of Dar es Salaam, Mwanza and some other big towns in the country such as Arusha and Moshi show that there is a considerable number of female employees working in them. Being employed in a place where information technology is applied could be one of the major areas where the participation of women has been clearly noticed so far. But, a very serious problem in this fact is whether such employment is capable of empowering Tanzanian women, because many women employed in the information technology sector are employed in subordinate positions not enough to empower them. At this point we have to state that in order to measure the significance of a woman in information technology, we have to know what role the employed woman/women play/s in an organization, what position does she hold, which qualification she possesses and how many women are employed in a given organization.

2.7 OBSTACLES TO WOMEN PARTICIPATION IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Poverty amongst Tanzanian women is among the stumbling blocks causing little participation of women in the information technology. In one of the above paragraphs we have explained how the education system, traditions and various cultures discriminate a Tanzanian woman. The result of all these is the impoverishment of a large number of women. It is clear that running the information technology requires huge investment. A Tanzanian woman does not posses such wealth. Therefore, a large part of them remain illiterate, as far as information technology is concerned, and unable to buy or import the technology. A few women who are able to import the technology and be literate, meet stiff competition from men who are favored by tradition and culture, also the laws regulating employment matters seem to favour men. For example, up to this moment, the Employment Act has provisions of the law that prohibit employment of women in mining. Also, although the law does not expressly provide for, the employers' attitude and tendency has been negative when it comes to employment of pregnant women and provision of women's maternity leaves.

3. CONCLUSION

Up to this moment information technology has little or no significant results on Tanzanian women as far as women empowerment is concerned. As we have stated in this paper, a lot of factors have contributed in making the low contribution of information technology in women emancipation. These include culture and tradition, which place a woman in a subordinate and insignificant position. There is a great need of changing this attitude and make, especially, Tanzanian men and women, parents, educators and religious leaders think positively on women's ability and empowerment.

It is important also to make sure that the education system in Tanzania is intentionally made in such a way that women will be given more chance to acquire necessary education, especially in information technology field the current sociocultural norms have so far restricted women's access to education, training and employment. It is through education that a woman will acquire the necessary knowledge in the field. This is because, even if a Tanzanian woman will be educated, but without the necessary information technology skills there will be no significant results in the process of empowering her. In this part, a woman will require sufficient computer education and training facilities to enable her compete in this era of globalisation, that is to be able to face, not only domestic, but also foreign challenges. The Tanzanian government needs to take some serious steps to make sure that a Tanzanian woman acquires the necessary information technology education.

Policy makers in women matters in Tanzania should do more to relieve a woman from the mother, wife, employee burden which has resulted into a number of women to give up their jobs, hence decreased their empowerment process, especially in information technology.

1. Beech, C. Women and Women into Information Technology, a report by the British Computer Society,1990.

2. Anker, R. and Hein, C. Why Third World Urban Employees Usually Prefer Men, International Labour Review, 1985.

3. The National Employment Policy of Tanzania.

4. www.afrol.com/categories/women

5. Ann Ulbridge, RESOURCES, women in information technology.