WESTERN FEMINISM IN TANZANIA: ADVOCATING FOR A CONTEXTUAL GENDER FRAMEWORK IN TANZANIA

ABSTRACT

This work advances the thesis that Western feminism, in both its philosophical underpinnings and practical applications, is ill-suited to the foundational and socio-political realities of Tanzania. The central argument is that Western feminism, rooted in Euro-American notions of individual autonomy and secular liberalism fails to resonate with Tanzanian communitarian worldview, its cooperative gender complementarity embedded in its philosophical anthropological perspective. The problem is not merely one of context or cultural diversity but of fundamentally divergent ontological and ethical assumptions about personhood, family and society. However, this article shows that, Tanzanian social life rests on the ground of communal interdependence and mutual respect between genders, values that re preserved in philosophical underpinnings of Ujamaa, which also uphold family unit. On the other hand, Western feminist thought evolved in industrialized, capitalist societies with different historical struggles such as the women`s suffrage movement, workplace equality and reproductive equality which when transplanted into Tanzania without adaptation disrupt rather than enhance social harmony. This work is organized mainly into three sections. After the introduction; the first section traces the historical trajectory of western feminism through its four waves, the second section makes explores how the metaphysical foundation of reality is perceived differently by the Western feminists` perspective from that of the African perspective. The third section retains the discussion to the context of Tanzania where the notion of womanhood is expounded. In this section, it will be shown why Western Feminism is not the right approach to tackle the gender problem in Tanzania. With ongoing philosophical debates, this work engages critically with postcolonial feminism, African womanism and indigenous philosophical frameworks which protect both men and women for the purpose of making a fair and equal world. it aligns with scholars like Mondin, Lombo and Russo, and John Paul II, who argue on the complementarity of men and women as relational beings living together in the family and community. Nevertheless, this article contributes in decolonizing  feminist thought by articulating an African-centered gender philosophy that upholds equality within the framework of relational personhood and social cohesion. It also offers policy makers, and educators a blueprint for gender policy that preserves Tanzanian values, strengthens family cohesion and ensures equitable development for both men and women. in doing so, it affirms that genuine gender justice in Tanzania can only emerge from a framework that is contextually grounded and philosophically coherent.