Women rights body calls for break of cultural barriers to fight GBV

A women’s rights promotion body, Reseau des Femmes, has called on policymakers to develop a framework that can help entrench values in girls and boys at early age to ensure they are shaped into future generation that is respectful of gender and women’s rights. The organisation made the announcement last week to raise awareness about the extent of violence and its consequences on family harmony, sustainable national development and respect to human rights. The news conference was organised as part of the 16 Days of Activism, a global campaign that is held annually in December to raise awareness on gender-based violence (GBV). The campaign coincided with the 30th anniversary of Reseau des Femmes, fighting for women and girls rights in Rwanda. Veronique Mukantege, the national coordinator of Reseau des Femmes, said that although statistics indicate that GBV cases are reducing, a concern remains. She said it was possible to have a society without the vice. “With many of our activities based in rural areas, our observation is that rural women are more vulnerable to violence because of cultural norms and ignorance. “For instance, in Nyanza district (Mukingo and Kigoma sectors) where our project has been operating since 2015, we have more than 210 beneficiaries who experienced gender based violence and the majority of them contracted HIV from that violence,” said Mukantege. She said that though it is good that some women have been bold enough to report cases of violence, there are many victims who still suffer in silence. Mukantege called for collaboration of all activists and government agencies and the community in general to break cultural myths that encourage the vice. Figures from Police indicate that 720 cases of GBV were reported and treated in 2015, a significant decrease from the previous year, where 1,433 were recorded. Saverina Mukagatambira, an HIV-positive widow from Kigoma Sector who benefited from the project, said after the death of her husband, she was harassed by his family over property. “My husband was from Eastern Province and after we got married, we moved to Nyanza until his death. When he died his family told me I don’t have to claim anything even though we were married with two children,” she said, adding that after being enlightened on her rights, she is now ready to claim her entitlement. Sarah Mukamurara, a GBV officer with the organisation, said the majority of the cases they register are related to property, adding that there was need for more sensitisation to help communities that women have equal rights to family property as their husbands. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Women rights body calls for break of cultural barriers to fight GBV