The First Lady Jeannette Kagame will on Monday, March 8, address the Motsepe Foundation’s annual Gender Equality, Wellness and Leadership (GEWAL) summit, as part of the celebrations to mark International Women’s Day. The summit, which is the fifth of its kind, will this year be held virtually. Mrs Kagame will be joined by other high-ranked officials including Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, the South African minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities. GEWAL is a component of the Motsepe Foundation focusing on the foundations projects related to women development and empowerment. The summit was born out of the conviction that healthcare and wellness-related practices can support the contributions women make to society and the economy. Set against the backdrop of the ravages of the coronavirus, this year’s summit will be held under the theme: “Harnessing the Role of Women in Pandemic Recovery”. “The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the stark reality that in spite of the many gains in this regard over the last decade, women have still been exposed to disproportionately greater vulnerabilities since the beginning of the pandemic,” reads part of a statement from the foundation. During the ceremony, organisers noted, participants will mainly discuss holistic health to dissect the evolving health needs of women and girls, by offering critiques and interventions that will promote women’s wellbeing and amplify their all-embracing societal contributions. The summit will also host a youth perspectives panel discussion aimed to spotlight the worldviews and priorities set by young people as they review the current status-quo and offer alternatives for the future. The day will be rounded off with entertainment, a short yoga session, useful tips on mental health and healthy cooking and networking among others. Globally, Women’s Day will be celebrated under the theme: “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a Covid-19 world,” while in Rwanda, the day will be marked under the theme, “Women, be at the forefront in the Covid-19 World.” In an earlier interview with The New Times, the Minister of Gender and Family Promotion, Jeannette Bayisenge noted that the day is an opportunity to mobilize women and all Rwandans in general to back the efforts to fight against the Covid-19 pandemic by reinforcing the prevention guidelines established by the government.
