AS the region marked the Pan-African Women's Day on Sunday civil society organisations advocate for concerted efforts to motivate girls pursue science courses up to tertiary level.
The advocacy came out of a concern of declining number of girls pursuing science decreases as they go up to highest level of education as well as at workplaces.
The campaigners saw it important for all stakeholders to have strong team work with the government in putting in place systems that would lead to increasing the number of female scientists in the country.
Chief Executive Director of the Human Dignity and Environment Care Foundation (HUDEFO), Ms Sara Pima, said they were supporting President Samia Suluhu Hassan's efforts to empower girls in science.
"We see how our President insists on girls to pursue science, the government has built girls' school of science in each council," she said.
However, she said, there should be strengthened campaigns to motivate girls to pursue science since the number of girls in science subjects decreases as they go up to the high level education.
"We should continue coming together to look for solution. Science should not be for men only," she stated.
"We need concerted efforts and strong systems and cooperation to achieve this matter."
The Founder and Chairperson of Mwanamke Initiative Foundation, Ms Wanu Hafidh Ameir, said: "we have witnessed some girls making achievements in science field, so it is important to encourage more girls to pursue science subjects."
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Ms Ameir stated that girls should consider science subjects as normal subjects.
"Let me take this opportunity to ask parents to motivate their children to pursue science. There are those who show signs of loving science at early ages, we must empower them to realize their dreams," she insisted.
Mr Kelvin Robert, representative from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), explained that the Pan-African Women's Day was first commemorated in the then Tanganyika in 1962 in Dar es Salaam.
By then, the day was commemorated to recognize participation of women during liberation, but nowadays it is marked with emphasis on women economic freedom.
Mr Robert argued that the UNESCO fully participates in commerating the day since it motivates women in science and innovation.
