Editor,

RE: "The quest to end underage domestic labour” (The New Times, November 24).

I read this and I wonder when it will be over. How can we treat our own daughters and sisters like this? This is totally unacceptable, especially in a country where over 63 per cent of parliamentarians are women. This is a good time to ensure it stops. 

Only those who can afford to pay a minimum wage must have house-helps, who should also be hired through a recognised agency. The agency should be subsidised by the Government and entrusted not only with managing all the maids but also empowering them with vocational skills.

The true measure of society’s advancement and civilization isn’t how it treats the rich, the strong and the powerful, but how it caters for the poor, the vulnerable and the weak. For Kigali to be a city I am proud of, it must address this complex problem and offer equal opportunity to all.

Gatete