As the PSI-led East Africa Gender Equality Project reaches closeout, Tanzania’s public service unions are showcasing remarkable strides in building gender-just, safe, and inclusive workplaces. A national convening on May 13th and 14th 2025, in Dar-Es-Salaam brought together four PSI-affiliated unions: Tanzania Union of Industrial and Commercial Workers (TUICO), Tanzania Local Government Workers Union (TALGWU),  Tanzania Union of Government and Health Employees (TUGHE), and  Researchers, Academicians and Allied Workers Union (RAAWU)—to reflect on their collective journey under the project and to shape a path forward rooted in internal ownership and sustainability. 

This gathering marked more than the end of a project phase. It reflected a maturing labor movement ready to advance gender equality not as an external agenda, but as a core union value. 

Union Reform from Within: Changing the Power Structure 

In line with the project’s goal of strengthening women’s representation and union responsiveness to gender inequality, the unions reported decisive structural reforms: 

• TUICO amended its constitution to formalize women’s participation. It allocated dedicated gender budgets and institutionalized gender committees. 

• TUGHE launched a revolving fund to support women’s economic empowerment. It successfully negotiated maternity protections—including support for premature births—into its collective bargaining agreements. 

• TALGWU integrated gender into its strategic planning processes and improved gender-sensitive infrastructure in workplaces, particularly at the local government level. 

• RAAWU union staff is now 60% women, and it has formed over 30 workplace-level gender and occupational safety and health (OSH) committees. Their publication, Wanawake, Vijana na Uongozi, is sparking national conversations around inclusive leadership. 

Together, these unions are dismantling patriarchal practices and redistributing leadership spaces—a major shift from past tokenism to meaningful representation. 

Demanding Safety, Dignity, and Protection for All Workers 

A central pillar of the workshop focused on the link between OSH and gender-based violence and harassment. Using real-life case simulations, unions worked through grievance resolution pathways grounded in ILO Conventions C190, C155, and C161. 

Participants explored scenarios involving workplace harassment, OSH violations, and legal redress—highlighting how shop-floor committees and trained gender focal points are transforming responses from passive tolerance to proactive justice. 

Yet, persistent barriers were acknowledged: 

• Inadequate PPE provision for women in frontline sectors. 

• Weak enforcement of anti-harassment measures. 

• Legal constraints such as restrictive maternity leave regulations. 

• Cultural silence around gender-based violence. 

The unions’ response? Not retreat, but renewed commitment to policy reform, workplace monitoring, and legal literacy. 

Gender Equality and Public Services: Connecting the Dots 

The project’s third objective—to foster advocacy for gender-responsive public services (GRPS)—was embraced with vision and practical action: 

• RAAWU connected teacher training policy to broader gender equity goals in education. 

• TUGHE emphasized improved working conditions for healthcare workers, especially women. 

• TUICO introduced measures to support work-life balance, such as assigning women near daycare centers and advocating for breastfeeding spaces. 

• TALGWU pushed for local governments to establish OSH committees that not only monitor physical safety but also safeguard workers from violence and harassment. 

These initiatives illustrate that when unions champion gender equity in service delivery, they also strengthen their bargaining power and legitimacy. 

We now have a generation of unionists who see gender equity as their duty—not as a favor. That is lasting change

Cultural Shifts in Motion 

Perhaps the most inspiring transformation lies in the cultural mindset: 

• Women are contesting—and winning—union elections in growing numbers. 

• Gender is being integrated into CBAs, audits, and monitoring systems. 

• Grievance mechanisms now blend legal, conciliatory, and restorative justice tools—empowering survivors and challenging impunity. 

What was once viewed as “soft work” is now recognized as structural, political, and central to the labor justice agenda. 

Sustainability: Beyond Projects, Toward Movement Building 

Despite the early closure of the regional project, Tanzanian unions are firmly focused on sustainability. Key measures already underway include: 

• Institutionalized gender budgets and policies (TUICO, TALGWU). 

• Distribution of training manuals on OSH, gender rights, and C190 to workplace committees. 

• Ongoing engagement with government ministries and civil society organizations. 

• Union-led monitoring of maternity protections, breastfeeding infrastructure, and anti-harassment mechanisms. 

This reflects a deep understanding of sustainability—not simply as funding continuity but as institutional maturity, accountability, and transformation from within. 

Looking Ahead: Grounded, Prepared, and Mobilized 

The Tanzania convening confirmed what PSI has long asserted: transformative change is possible when workers are equipped with tools, allies, and vision. While the ratification of key ILO conventions and enforcement challenges remain on the horizon, the unions are not waiting. They are acting, organizing, and leading. 

“We now have a generation of unionists who see gender equity as their duty—not as a favor. That is lasting change,” said one participant. 

As PSI continues to accompany unions in East Africa and beyond, Tanzania’s experience will stand as a blueprint for movement-led gender justice—proving once again that when unions lead, societies change.