Tanzania’s President John Magufuli is facing widespread criticism from human rights organizations following comments he made last Thursday at a public rally that girls who become pregnant should not be allowed to return to school.
President Magufuli was quoted as saying:
The moment I walked into the room, my attention was drawn to her and the baby she held tenderly in her arms. Unlike the rest of the girls, she looked withdrawn. Our eyes met and the thought crossed my mind: What if she was my daughter?
Despite marked progress in gender relations globally, gender disparity and power struggles that leave women and girls at a disadvantage remain. Women continue to face multiple layers of discrimination economically, politically and socially.
The UN Women’s Rights in Africa Report was produced in honour of the African Union 2016 theme “year of human rights”, thus celebrating the gains made by women in the continent.