Present but Not Heard: Factors Shaping Women’s Participation in Community Decision-Making and Strategies for Change in Pemba, Tanzania

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine the factors shaping women’s participation in community-level decision-making in Pemba, Tanzania, and identify strategies for enhancing it. A concurrent mixed-methods design was used in four districts. A questionnaire was administered to 327 adults selected through multistage sampling, alongside 20 key informant interviews and 20 focus group discussions. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, multiple regression and thematic analysis. Respondents agreed that women's voices are valued and that legal systems are supportive, yet also that discrimination and limited access to decision-making platforms constrain women. Supportive cultural norms (β = .29), recognition of discrimination (β = .18) and supportive legal systems (β = .17) significantly predicted women's empowerment and leadership participation (R² = .20). Women often attend meetings without influencing decisions, depend on husbands' approval and fear social backlash, while laws remain weakly implemented. The cross-sectional, perception-based design limits causal inference, and the sample was relatively well educated. Authorities should institutionalise inclusive meeting procedures, enforce gender-responsive policies, engage men and religious leaders as allies, and invest in sustained leadership development and visible women role models