Editor, I just read about the new bill which indicates that “working hours have been increased from 40 to 45 per week in all government departments”. It also states that,” every woman is entitled to 12 consecutive weeks of maternity leave; she can start the leave two weeks before giving birth”. As a Rwandan woman I am very grateful that the government is giving us an opportunity to work and develop our country. However I am concerned that even though the government is encouraging women to work, it is forgetting that a lot of family problems are arising and will continue to increase as a result of mothers’ disappearing from home and from their children. I have no evidence or statistics to back this claim, but I have witnessed these problems in the Western countries. For example, presently the so called developed countries have completely lost family values. Women are working more and want to be better at work so they choose to put children into child minder’s care. Children become lost as they do not have anyone to turn to and only having a few minutes at night with their parents. This leaves them out in the world experimenting with anything they can because they do not know better and don’t have guidance. The shameful thing is that the adults are now blaming the children for antisocial behavior, teenage pregnancy, binge drinking and recently killings among young people. For our developing country, it would be a humiliation if we did not learn from those countries who have passed bills like this one and ended up with considerably more problems. I am just wondering if our government is considering the consequences of the new bill to the family especially the children who are left at the mercy of the house-help. My question is this, “Why doesn’t the government put in place a bill allowing women who have given birth to continue getting their salary and encourage part time work?”. This would create new jobs for new people and provide working experience opportunities until the new mother returns to full time working. This is just a thought ozyrosel@yahoo.co.uk
