TANZANIA GENDER NETWORKING PROGRAMME

(TGNP)

Press Release

On behalf of the Board of Directors, and its membership, I would like to announce that effective 1^st April 2007, Ms. Usu Mallya becomes the new Executive Director of Tanzania Gender Networking Programme. Usu Mallya will be the third person to head TGNP in this capacity, following in the footsteps of Marjorie Mbilinyi (1994-1996) and Mary Rusimbi (1997-2007).

The organisation wishes to express its gratitude and appreciation to Mary Rusimbi for ten years of devoted service and exemplary leadership, and to welcome Usu Mallya as the new Executive Director.

Like her predecessors, Ms. Mallya is known to the public, and especially to feminists/gender activists, practitioners and policy makers, as a highly experienced and capable facilitator, analyst and activist. She has engaged with different levels of government and society on numerous policy issues, working with staff, members, partners and likeminded allies, in order to build a strong feminist social movement. Having been part of the senior management of the organization for the past 7 years, Usu Mallya is well positioned to lead a highly committed team at the secretariat as well as to advise the Board and the membership.

We call for continued cooperation with the office of the Executive Director at Tanzania Gender Networking Programme so that work that began nearly a decade and a half ago can continue and flourish.

Issued by

Ruth Meena

Chairperson

Tanzania Gender Networking Programme

31^st March 2007.