Numbers in the News — Digest #5
Data Zetu’s fifth digest of data-driven Tanzanian media stories
This blog post was published as part of the Data Zetu project. Data Zetu is now an initiative of the Tanzania dLab, a local NGO that promotes innovation and data literacy through a premier center of excellence. For more information about the dLab, visit www.dlab.or.tz. For more information about the Data Zetu project, visit www.irex.org.
Numbers in the News is a recurring post highlighting data journalism in Tanzania. Learn more in our first Digest here.
Gender-based violence has been on the decline thanks to organizations that collaborate with the government to provide support and crack down on offenders. Among the types of GBV, female genital mutilation showed a decrease by 8% over the last 9 years. Data Zetu Media Fellow Belinda Japhet reports that there has also been a noteworthy increase in age of children being forced into marriage.
Despite Tanzania’s efforts to reduce deaths under the age of 5, newborn mortality rates are significantly high, reports Media Fellow Angel Navuri. The shortage of preventative measures and skilled healthcare professionals could be to blame. In order to raise awareness on this issue, UNICEF has planned for a campaign to initiate change decreasing newborn mortality rates in Tanzania.
Additionally, a UNICEF healthcare specialist claims that 92% of Tanzanian children are malnourished. Media Fellow Belinda Japhet found this claim to be true because most families do not have the necessary means to provide proper nutrition for their children. Diets in most homes are inadequate and don’t provide nutritional benefits necessary for healthy growth. Although the rate of malnutrition is alarming, these numbers show a decrease in the number of malnourished children since 2015.
On International Women’s Day, Media Fellow Rosemary Mirondo looked at the disparity between men and women in CEO positions at banks. Her findings show that for every 1 female, there are 9 male CEOs. Though this may currently be the case, there is possibility to close the gender gap in the next 100 years. In Tanzania, a shift in customs and traditions could aid in closing the gender gap.
Below are more data-driven stories that emphasize Data Zetu’s priority sectors (health, economic growth, and gender equality):
- Are Tanzanian mothers entitled to work ‘half-day’ after maternity leave? — Pesa Check
- How diarrhea is torturing Tanzanians in silence — Mwananchi (in Swahili)
- How many Tanzanians are being treated for mental illness?— Pesa Check
- Female workers still paid less than male colleagues — The Citizen
- TZ’s universities have twice as many male as female students — The Ciizen
Data Zetu is a coalition of Tanzanian civic innovation organisations that aim to empower communities to make better, evidence-based decisions to improve their lives.
The coalition consists of Code for Tanzania (CfT), Sahara Sparks (SS), Humanitarian Openstreetmap Team (HOT), and Tanzania Bora Initiative (TBI), with global expertise from SBC4D and IREX, funded by the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief(PEPFAR).
Data Zetu operates as part of the $21.8 million Data Collaboratives for Local Impact (DCLI) programme administered by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).
