University of Dar Es Salaam, John Hobgood, 1997

Women at the University of Dar Es Salaam, 26 November 1997, 10

52
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 1996 15:48:31 +0300 (GMT+0300)
From: John Hobgood
To: Friends/Family
Subject: Women at the University of Dar es Salaam

I think that I am getting a rare opportunity to live through a "women's movement" and it is quite exciting. In this male dominated society I have gotten used to, [I have become] annoyed with the many comments made by my fellow men about women and their roles in society.

This past Saturday I believe that finally the women decided when too much was indeed too much. There was a meeting held by DURUSO, which is the so-called Student Government Association, [where] someone said that there [were] not enough women and that they should be present. With that statement about 300 men descended upon Hall 3 (an all female dorm) and tried to force the females to their meeting. What followed was something that makes one sick to the stomach.

Windows were broken as men were trying to get into the rooms to force the women [to attend]. One Ghanaian student's door was kicked in and she was told, "Had we known you weren't Tanzanian we wouldn't had kicked it in," which, of course, shouldn't be tolerated by any woman. A pregnant woman was dragged two flights of stairs as she screamed and pleaded for them to let go of her. Many of the American female students told us of their roommates hiding under their desks in total fear.

Thankfully, for the first time ever the women took this as a sign and held their own rally and wrote a letter to the administration as well as to DARUSO. As a result, today there was a faculty meeting to discuss what is to be done, and tomorrow night there is a rally for all female students at Nkrumah Hall to address the incident.

This is the first time that I have ever seen the beginning of a movement like this and I hope that it doesn't die out like I have been told it will. I guess that is all...:) John

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First Online Edition: 22 July 1997
Last Revised: 19 March 2001