International Women’s Day 2026

Today, on International Women’s Day, we celebrate the courage and resilience of women ,but we must also speak the truth. Because behind every celebration lies a reality many women still live every day. In Tanzania, nearly half of all women have experienced violence in their lifetime. Many endure it in silence in their homes, workplaces, and communities. Some girls are forced into marriage before their 18th birthday. Others drop out of school, not because they lack dreams, but because systems were never designed to protect those dreams. This is not just a statistic. It is a reflection of the barriers women continue to face. Yet history reminds us that progress is possible.

The rights women enjoy today were not handed to them. They were fought for by women who organized, resisted injustice, challenged discriminatory laws, and refused to accept inequality as destiny.
Because of those struggles, girls are in classrooms. Women are leading institutions. Women are shaping laws, economies, and societies. But progress is not the same as equality.

Too many women still fear violence in their own homes. Too many still lack equal economic opportunities. Too many still struggle to access justice when their rights are violated.

International Women’s Day must therefore be more than a celebration. It must be a call to action.
A call for governments to strengthen laws and protection systems.
A call for communities to challenge harmful norms that normalize violence.
A call for institutions to ensure women’s voices are not only heard but respected and acted upon.

At the Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF), we remain committed to advancing justice, equality, and dignity for every woman and girl. Because when women rise, societies rise. And when women’s rights are protected, justice becomes possible for all. The struggle continues. And so does our commitment.