Clerics in anti-gender violence drive

Anglican Bishops and other leaders of the church across the country have promised to use their influence and responsibilities to preach against Gender Based Violence (GBV) as one of the ways they believe their works will contribute towards eradicating the habit.This was one of the major recommendations at the end of their three-day workshop that also attracted officials from the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion, as well as representatives of the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS-Rwanda (UNAIDS).Organised under the theme ‘engaging the church leaders in prevention of gender based violence and HIV’, the workshop took place at St John’s Retreat Centre in Gicumbi District.“We have been having consultations on regional levels on how the Anglican Church can effectively engage in fighting GBV as one of the mechanisms through which the church can contribute towards controlling HIV infection in our communities,” said Onesphore Rwaje, Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Rwanda.Rwaje pointed out that previous meetings set the pace and that the workshop had a starting point on which the church leaders will base on to carryout their respective duties.He explained that HIV infections are sometimes a result of GBV, urging that the initiative by the church will also help in fighting HIV. This particular workshop therefore came up with mechanisms of implementation of the programme in the dioceses.It was also used as a platform to discuss the current situation of GBV and HIV in the country to further strategize with other member organizations in the fight against HIV. The Archbishop called on others to join them in the fight.Speaking on behalf of UNAIDS which funded the workshop, the agency’s delegate, Dieudonné Ruturwa, said that although there had been a reduction in the number of new HIV infections, more efforts were needed to achieve the required target.“We know that the spread of HIV is closely linked with gender inequality and that there are gender differences in the epidemic. We therefore have to find solutions as women and girls are disproportionately infected,” he said.During a recent meeting with church leaders n preparation of the International Women’s Day, the Minister of Gender and Family Promotion, Oda Gasinzigwa, said that clerics have much influence in the communities they serve, urging them to join hands with the government to play a major role in promoting gender equality.