In rural Tanzania, girls face significant challenges that hinder their personal development and perpetuate cycles of poverty.
Child Marriage
A study of Tanzanian women aged 20-24 shows that about one-third of Tanzanian women were married before the age of 18. This rate is higher in rural areas, where 37% of women aged 15-49 were married as children, compared to 21% in urban areas.
Source: twaweza.org
Educational Inequality
In Tanzania, educational opportunities for rural girls are limited by a variety of factors. The net secondary enrollment rate is only 27%, with rural and poor girls most affected. This is further affected by higher dropout rates from the age of 12.
Source: unicef.org
Financial Dependence
Limited education and early marriage are associated with a lack of financial independence among women living in rural areas. The absence of adequate education among these women often results in restricted access to conventional employment opportunities, leading to continued economic dependence.
Addressing these challenges requires comprehensive strategies, including:
- Legal provisions. Enforcing laws that set the minimum age of marriage at 18 and ensuring their implementation can help reduce child marriage.
- Educational support. Investing in girls’ education by providing scholarships, building more schools in rural areas, and creating safe learning environments can increase school completion rates.
- Community engagement. Raising awareness about the negative effects of child marriage and the importance of education can change community norms.
- Economic empowerment. Providing vocational training and microfinance opportunities can help women achieve financial independence.