Families in Rubavu District are calling for continuous sensitisation and education for mind-set change as a way of curbing domestic conflicts. Findings from the seventh Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (EICV 7) indicated that “there are still many couples that continue to cohabit informally despite the consequences for women’s rights and for the family in general.” It showed that men report having multiple wives, with existing studies identifying polygamy “as one of the main causes contributing to land disputes,” and a challenge to women’s access to household property. Speaking to The New Times, Rubavu’s Vice Mayor in Charge of Social Affairs, Pacifique Ishimwe, said land-related conflicts are the most frequent cause of family disputes reported from the area. This is the most persistent problem we face, Ishimwe stated, citing Cyanzarwe, Busasamana, and Rubavu sectors as having many cases. Meanwhile, cases linked to marriage problems, stem from a variety of issues, including financial disagreements within families. To address these challenges, she said, the district has intensified its efforts to promote the idea of complementarity between men and women. “We always remind our people about their equally important responsibilities. This is an ongoing journey we are pursuing through ways including the village roundtables,” she noted. The district is not working alone in such endeavours, as there are other partners from sectors like the civil society, who are also playing a role. In early August, for instance, Dream Nziza, an American foundation, undertook a week-long series of sessions, providing women and young girls in Busasamana Sector with awareness on safe families under ‘Women Empowerment Education’. ALSO READ: Parents build houses for children before marriage in Rubavu Heidi Hastings, PhD in Human Development and Family studies, who led the sessions on, said she noticed that women are not making their own decisions in the area. She noted that the sensitisation they carried out was aimed at among other things, assisting women build self-confidence and have the capacity to drive their families' development. Isaac Nkurunziza, the founder of Dream Nziza Foundation, recommended Rubavu District to step up efforts to address present challenges within the community. “We encourage the district to continue investing in family education and strengthening households,” he said. ALSO READ: MPs push for urgent flood mitigation measures in Rubavu Elizabeth Mbirindente, 76, and Clementine Ndayavuga are among the women who participated in the program. They both believe that changing deep-rooted mind-sets is key footstep, especially the idea that men are lions at home, and a woman's contribution is less valuable. “Many family conflicts stem from a poor mind-set, Mbirindente explained. We need continuous community sensitisation to prevent and resolve these issues within our communities.”
