US envoy awards human rights activist Kijo-Bisimba

Hellen Kijo-Bisimba the US Secretary of State's 2008 Award

The US Ambassador to Tanzania, Mark Green, on Wednesday presented to Hellen Kijo-Bisimba the US Secretary of State's 2008 Award for International Women of Courage.

The nominee is currently the Executive Director of the Legal and Human Rights Centre and received the certificate in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday.

She becomes one of the eight women from throughout the world who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for women's rights and advancement to be a nominee for getting the US Secretary?s Award for International Women of Courage.

"Only one awardee will be selected from the 15 African women who were nominated," said a statement issued by the embassy.

A lawyer by profession, Kijo-Bisimba headed the formation of 17 para legal units for women in 18 regions on Mainland Tanzania and personally participated in ensuring the enactment of the renowned Sexual Offences Special Provisions Act, which provided special provisions for offences that oppressed women and children.

This legislation is regularly used in courts of law to provide harsh sentences to offenders.

Kijo-Bisimba also worked to ensure that the Anti Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) legislation was enacted by Parliament, and later on, through the Legal and Human Rights Center (LHRC), she continued to be a strong advocate against FGM, even arranging at times for the prosecution of parents who allow their daughters to be circumcised.

She has also been involved in the campaign to increase the participation of women in governance from 10 per cent to 30 per cent, and at the moment, is working with other stakeholders to see women hold 50 per cent of leadership and decision making positions in the government.

When she began her human rights career, she joined the SUWATA Legal Aid, a clinic that provides free legal aid to women who cannot afford legal services.

When the clinic closed, Kijo-Bisimba co-founded the current independent Women's Legal Aid Center so that almost 5000 women would not lose free legal aid. It currently caters to over 30,000 women in Dar es Salaam.