The First Lady of Rwanda, Jeannette Kagame referred violence against women as a crisis in the world, which even commendable efforts have not been able to eradicate.
"Violence against women fatally atrophies our societies. We must tirelessly fight these prejudices, the oppression of women in their homes and outside them, as well as the stigmatism that muzzles the victims. We must redefine what abuse of a woman is, what characterises this violence, whether visible or invisible,” she said.
She was addressing different dignitaries, both within and outside Rwanda, present at the gala dinner held at Kigali Convention Centre in honour of the Silver Jubilee of the Forum of Rwandan Women Parliamentarians (FFRP), and the 20th anniversary of Assemblèe Parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) on July 8.
The gala dinner in honour of the Silver Jubilee of the Forum of Rwandan Women Parliamentarians and the 20th anniversary of Assemblèe Parlementaire de la Francophonie in Kigali on July 8. All Photos by Dan Nsengiyumva
Mrs Kagame stressed that it was in everyone’s power to refuse that violence against women metamorphoses insidiously into an incessant, omnipresent and terribly trivialised cycle.
She said: "If today we can find satisfaction and motivation in Rwanda's ranking as the second most successful country in Africa in terms of gender equality. If we have confidence in our parliament, which now includes women, and in its ability to translate our laws into action, thus offering our culture the chance of a fruitful evolution.
"It is the spirit of the anti-discrimination policy of this free Rwanda, which was reborn from its ashes, and beats fiercely under each choice of governance of our country.”
The celebrations were also to recognise FFRP’s role in Rwanda's progress towards gender equality, women’s empowerment and highlight the role of women in parliament, and the importance of partnerships with their male counterparts in building a society that puts citizens first.
FFRP was officially established in Rwanda in 1996 founded by 12 women members of the Transitional Assembly (1994-2003). It has a total of 87 members, both men and women, from both Chambers of Parliament (Senate and Chamber of Deputies: 58 women, and 29 men) up to date.
A gala dinner for the Silver Jubilee of the Forum of Rwandan Women Parliamentarians and the 20th anniversary of Assemblèe Parlementaire de la Francophonie was held in Kigali on July 8.
"As we celebrate 25 years of existence, we continue on the road of making a society where gender equality prevails in national development agendas, in politics, legislation and all national programs from household level,” said Donatile Mukabalisa, speaker of chamber of Deputies of the parliament of Rwanda and President of Rèseau des femmes parlementaires de l’APF.
She thanked women who fought the necessary battle to make FFRP a reality, and made necessary laws so a woman is equally empowered as her male counterpart, and attributed special appreciation to men allies who 'take it upon themselves' to be part of the change.
She also stated how FFRP successfully contributed to advocating for the amendment of some pieces of legislation in which gender based inequalities were embodied, by promoting gender equality in laws, hence earning Rwanda the reputation of having made unparalleled advances in scrubbing any form of inequality from its laws and in promoting women’s human rights.
The gala dinner in honour of the Silver Jubilee of the Forum of Rwandan Women Parliamentarians and the 20th anniversary of Assemblèe Parlementaire de la Francophonie in Kigali on July 8.