Development Programs & Advocacy.

CCT is an ecumenical Christian Body in Tanzania whose members are churches and church related organizations with a vision of being a committed, faithful, transparent and accountable instrument. It has been operational since 1934. It serves as a unifying body for its members with the aim of serving the people spiritually, mentally and physically through advocacy, capacity building, facilitation and coordination. Currently there are 12 member churches and 12 Para-Church organizations.In implementing its programs CCT collaborates with other stakeholders including the Central Government of Tanzania, Local Government Authorities, CBO, NGOs, Communities members and development partners. The organization enjoys its presence all over the country and is influential and trusted by stakeholders. On top of that CCT’s performance has been boosted through established interfaith relations and professional networks

At the moment CCT has recorded several achievements including: being the major agent for interfaith relations, fighting FGM and Gender Based Violence, together with economic empowerment through village community banks (VICOBA. Despite the success CCT has got so far, there are number of challenges within and without the organization. At the moment CCT depends on donor funding for more than 80% for running its programs due to insufficient internal resource mobilization. On top of that CCT is challenged by technological gap between the secretariat and member churches and the influence of harmful traditions. However there are a number of opportunities for CCT to both, expand its activities and improve the current ones. These include peace and stability in the country, use of professional networking; partner CSOs and FBOs, and demographic profile of Tanzania which has 42% of population below 14 years. Currently CCT is implementing its mission with the following programs

• Climate Environment and Food Security

• Health & HIV/AIDS

• Interfaith Relations

• Media and Communication

• Peace Socio-economic Justice and Good Governance

• Women Development Gender & Children

• Youth Development

• Policy Analysis.

TANZANIA USAID Tuwajibike

Overview
Strengthening public financial accountability mechanisms presents a valuable opportunity to benefit all Tanzanian citizens, particularly the most vulnerable groups, including women, youth, and people living with disabilities. By enhancing community awareness, fostering greater citizen engagement, and increasing consultations, current challenges in public financial and other public resource management can be addressed.

Goals
Promoting Accountability and Transparency The USAID Tuwajibike Project aims to foster government accountability, transparency, and increased public participation in managing public resources. This initiative seeks to mobilize and inform citizens, media, private sectors, civil society organizations, and the government to collectively address public resource accountability. By empowering citizens and civil society with innovative public accountability tools, the project will enhance government transparency and diligence in managing resources, thereby improving the delivery of essential social services and natural resource management.
Additionally, the project will equip journalists with investigative and data-driven skills to expose issues related to public financial management, increasing public awareness and accountability. Recognizing the critical role of the private sector in promoting good governance, the project will engage private businesses as key partners, fostering ethical and responsive business practices that advocate for transparency and accountability in government operations. Through these efforts, the USAID Tuwajibike Project aims to create a more transparent, accountable, and participatory governance framework, leading to improved public resource management and enhanced social service delivery.

Objectives
Objective One:
To empower citizens and civil society to innovatively use public accountability tools to enhance government openness and diligence in public resource management.
Objective Two:
To enhance the implementation of open government, particularly in resource management processes and service delivery.
Objective Three:
To equip and empower journalists with investigative and data-driven skills to expose public financial issues.
Objective Four:
To engage the private sector with ethical and responsive approaches to foster supportive and innovative public accountability collaborations.

Expected Outcomes
The USAID Tuwajibike Project aims to achieve 4 key outcomes that will significantly enhance government accountability, transparency, and community engagement in resource management.
These outcomes include:

● Informed Citizens and Active Civil Society Holding the Government Accountable: The project will cultivate a well-informed citizenry and a vibrant civil society capable of holding the government accountable at all levels for the allocation and use of public resources. This active engagement will ensure that public officials are answerable to their constituents, promoting more responsible and transparent governance.

● Improved Transparency in the Delivery of Key Social Services and Natural Resources: Through the implementation of transparency mechanisms and the promotion of open government practices, the project will improve the delivery of essential social services and the management of natural resources. Enhanced transparency will lead to better service delivery in areas such as healthcare, education, and water supply, ensuring that resources are allocated fairly and effectively.

● Media Equipped to Undertake Data-Driven, High-Quality Investigative Journalism: The project will empower local journalists with the skills and tools needed to conduct data-driven, high-quality investigative journalism. Equipped with investigative and data analysis skills, journalists will be better prepared to expose misuse of funds, corruption, and inefficiencies, contributing to a more informed and engaged public.

● Private Sector Engaged as a Key Partner to Advance Good Governance Practices: Collaborative initiatives between the government and the private sector will drive innovative solutions to governance challenges, creating a more conducive environment for sustainable development and economic growth.

Strong Woman Program
This is a special program under Development and Advocacy Directorate. It aims to ensure responsive and inclusive engagement of women and girls in political life from grassroots to national levels leading to equal access to justice for all and promote women’s economic empowerment and opportunities to participate in the labour market with sustainable access to economic resources.
The program has two main objectives:

1. Ensure equal participation of women and men in political life

2. Ensure that women have full economic rights and equal opportunities to participate in the labour markets

It is implemented in 4 regions that are among the regions with high rate of GBV, early marriage and school drop outs; Mara, Dodoma, Mbeya and Songwe regions.

Advocacy & Policy Analysis
CCT advocacy, policy and governance program focuses on strengthening CCT’s research, policy development and advocacy skills at national level, networking with other agencies with the aim of influencing the policies and practices of the government of Tanzania so that it delivers equitable and sustainable service in the country. Takes a pro-poor perspective to the policy debates in the country, particularly around natural resource governance and promotes actions that favor freedom of religion and peaceful co-existence. The strategies used includes conducting of research, producing and dissemination of simple policy briefs, policy analysis, dialogue meetings with relevant stakeholders, producing of media programs, networking with different stakeholders, lobbying and awareness raising on different issues.

CCT’s advocacy initiatives have registered a number of gains:
The parliament has been able to legislate on policies regarding extractive in which CCT had inputs to make sure natural resources benefit Tanzania citizens. The laws included Revenue Management Act, Tanzania Extractive Industry Transparency Act, Petroleum Act (2015), and the Natural Gas Policy (2013).

CCT played a leading role in the constitutional review process. It was instrumental in advocating for a process that was people centered and carried the people’s views.

CCT played a critical role on the media statement that was released by the churches and which was a turning point for the process due to the significant audience it received. CCT also promoted peaceful co-existence during the constitutional making process despite the threats that were posed by attempt to introduce Kadhi Courts, which would have introduced discrimination on freedom of worship.

Projecting the role of CCT as an advocacy voice and developing a platform for consultations. It has become normal for ministers to consult with CCT on policymaking process. The former Prime Minister mentioned the work of CCT in advocacy during a formal address in parliament.

Health and HIV/AIDS
CCT has expansive Health and HIV/AIDS Program with diverse projects using different approaches to address critical HIV/AIDS. These include Most Vulnerable Children (MVC), Most At Risk Population (MARP), and People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHAS).

Waking the Giant Initiative Tanzania
Waking the Giant initiative is part of ecumenical initiative hosted by the Christian Council of Tanzania for ACT Tanzania Forum. The Tanzanian pilot of "Waking the Giant"-WtG was launched in 2018, it aims to strengthen and equip churches and other religious actors to be at the forefront of more effective implementation of the countrys SDG Agenda, focusing on SDG 3,4,5,10 and 16. Henceforth, building the capacity of churches to contribute effectively to the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development.

INTERFAITH

CCT in collaboration with BAKWATA, TEC and CPCT, through interfaith program is working hard to create platform for religious leaders, through which people of different faiths can freely meet and get an opportunity for conversation that helps in strengthening relationship among community members hence create peace and unity.

pInterfaith Committees address conflicts and promote reconciliation. The Interfaith Committees work closely with paralegals in addressing injustice through advocacy. The committees also contribute towards reconciliation following conflict mediation by paralegals. The presence of Interfaith Committees in the community decentralizes the interfaith dialogue from national level to local levels at community levels. The committees meet at least once in every three months to discuss specific issues arising in their communities.

Interfaith committees have been well established in 19 districts in Kigoma,Tabora, Mwanza, Geita, Arusha, Same, Tanga, Morogoro, Mvomero, Kilosa, Dodoma, Kondoa, Singida, Chunya, Mbeya, Kiteto, Bahi and Gairo. The platform has been well trained on conflict management skills for mediation and reconciliation through interfaith quarterly meetings.

CCT is also working to ensure that in every interfaith committee, youth are participants in all conversations and decision making. To date CCT through interfaith relation have created the youth network with the total of 28 members whereas 14 of them are female and 16 are male from different faiths in Gairo district. Our target in 2019 is to train more youth on Interfaith Relations and formulate other youth platforms in Same and Bahi districts, hence to have enough youth platforms for participation and engagement in social activities in the community.

The strong relationship among youth of different faiths will for sure reduce radicalization in the community, hence to create a harmony and peaceful society. Furthermore, CCT has expanded the youth networks to university students of different faiths where youth will have funny by participating in various sports and games including training on moral aspects, interfaith relations for peaceful coexistence.

Women Gender Development & Children

Women Development, Children and Gender Program of Christian Council of Tanzania is focused on building capacity of women in issues pertaining to social rights with an emphasis on bringing gender equality. The program also targets to facilitate women and children into participating in decision making processes, politically, economically, socially and traditionally. Mostly the program works through a number of social activities including the following:
 Facilitating trainings to women in church and social leadership for them to understand various issues of gender development
 Conducting workshops and seminars on leadership, gender and family relationships about HIV and AIDS
 Motivating women in initiating various activities and programs to improve their economic well being
 Mainstreaming and integrating gender issues in CCT’s programs
 Facilitating and conducting trainings with a purpose of raising strong feelings against gender based violence and child abuse