TALKING NOTES ON WANAWAKE NA KATIBA COALITION

The Coalition originated from a national convening organized by Women Fund T on women’s rights and constitutionalism in October 2012 and started with 25 members now it has about 65+ organizations from diverse sectors including national and local organizations.

The main purpose is to engage collectively as women activists with the key steps of the constitutional review process. Coalition meets once a month or whenever there is an agenda that needs to be discussed, decisions to be made or information shared. However the coalition committee meets when needs be especially the technical one.

The coalition works through consultants, committees and focal persons:-

• Focal points are member groups form rural areas like in Zanzibar, Songea etc and WFT grantees who joined the coalition.
• Committees include;
  • Technical who contribute to the overall strategy of the coalition,
  • Logistics who coordinate logistics for large events,
  • Media has two sub-committee i.e media engagement and outreach, media monitoring
  • Resource mobilization
  • Documentation who record and document the whole process/activities

Through various activities such as:-

• Constitutional councils (mabaraza)
• Education and awareness on women rights through learning sessions, workshops, etc
• Community dialogues about women rights through rural focal points, media (radio and TV), brochures
• Provided language to the constitution through technical committee on womens rights and having it written in a gender perspective.
• Linking with other likeminded organizations through participating in their events, convening and sessions.
• Ad hoc activities like formed a sub-committee to write names that could be taken to the president during the nomination stage of the CA members.