Male Champions Advancing Women’s Leadership in Dar es Salaam

On September 6, 2025, WiLDAF, under the Wanawake Sasa Project, held a two-day capacity-building session for 60 male champions from six wards in Dar es Salaam. These champions, first trained in 2024 ahead of the local government elections, were reconvened to share success stories and reflect on their role in promoting women’s participation in leadership during the 2024 elections and in the lead-up to the October 2025 general elections.

The project has strengthened the work of male champions in challenging traditional gender norms and shifting community perceptions about women in leadership. Communities that were once dominated by male aspirants are now electing women leaders at the street level, with voters increasingly prioritizing merit and integrity over wealth or inducements.