Society

MEDIA  

Woman of Courage 

U.S. Ambassador Alfonso E. Lenhardt on presented the 2010 Tanzanian Woman of Courage award to Ananilea Nkya for her efforts to promote equality, opportunity, and justice for Tanzanian women and girls. Nkya is a journalist by profession and has been the Executive Director of the Tanzania Media Women Association (TAMWA) since 2001.  In addition to the award, the Ambassador granted one million Tanzanian shillings to TAMWA in support of its scholarship program for women seeking university journalism degrees. 

According to a statement from the embassy, Nkya has been a leading advocate for women's
                              advancement through awareness-raising and judicial reform for over 20 years.  The organization has
                             given Tanzanian women a voice and transformed Tanzania's media environment, ensuring wide coverage of women's issues.  By providing trainings and financial support for degrees in journalism, TAMWA has helped to ensure Tanzania's professional media corps has many qualified female journalists.   

Presenting the award, Ambassador Lenhardt said to Nkya, "Through the 2010 Tanzanian Woman of Courage Award, you are recognized for your efforts to use mass media for awareness raising, speaking out forcefully against gender-based violence, and helping repeal laws which limit women's rights.  Your efforts to train women as journalists and empower women to advocate for themselves have brought great dividends to the entire Tanzanian society."   

Nkya's efforts to bring women's issues to light began when she started her career in journalism, using her role as a radio producer to raise awareness.  She has and continues to work to repeal laws which limit the rights of women and girls, while also encouraging other women to advocate for themselves. She designed a media campaign against the Zanzibari law that makes pregnancy out of wedlock a crime, helping secure its repeal in 2005.   

Over the past six years, she has lobbied the government for an amendment to the Law of Marriage Act which currently allows girls younger than 18 to marry – an issue that can result in forced marriages of young girls against their will.  As a result, there is now movement toward an amendment of this law.   

Nkya has been at the forefront of efforts to highlight the plight of women who suffer from discrimination, face domestic violence, or are victims of rape.  Further, she has worked tirelessly to empower women to advocate for themselves in the political sphere and elsewhere. 

Nkya has also worked on issues such as female genital mutilation.  Her work in the media helped ensure passage of the Sexual Offences Special Provision Act (SOSPA) in 1998 which criminalized FGM and increased the punishment of rapists to 30 years in jail, and provides a life sentence for gang rape and raping minors.   

Nkya's efforts to train female politicians have been instrumental in increasing the number of women in politics today.  In 2005, there were roughly 1,500 female candidates, compared with 200 in the previous election.  Nkya's advocacy and awareness campaigns have helped changed attitudes and given women a role in decision-making at all levels.  She was outspoken during the recent local elections, encouraging women to carefully consider the candidate for whom they cast their votes and emphasizing the importance of competent leaders.  

Nkya becomes the third recipient of the Tanzanian Woman of Courage Award since the U.S. Embassy began this recognition.  Others before her were Helen Kijo-Bisimba, Executive Director of the Legal and Human Rights Center in 2008, and Anne Kilango Malecela, Member of Parliament for Same East Constituency, Kilimanjaro Region in 2009. 

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