Gender balance takes its roots in Rwandan tradition-Munyamaliza

The RWAMREC (Rwanda Men’s Resource Centre) an umbrella of civil society organisations’ representative Munyamaliza told the journalist that gender legal equality is rooted in Rwandan history whereby the queen mother was a key person in decision making and implementing.

He said that during a radio show discussing about the law that legalizes the relations between spouses ,especially regarding the household management.

Asked  whether he supports that the law amendment, Munyamaliza denied to say much about it, adding that what matters most is the cooperation between both men and women  as to develop their household. He gave an  example of the tradition where a man could not give a cow to someone else without his wife’s advice.

According to him this was a  means by which Rwandans regulate the gender based issues. For him it is neither the man nor the woman who should lead the household. What matters most he said is the complementary relations between spouses that will develop relationships between them.

Munyamaliza said the law should define what is gender and how both men and should share responsibilities as  to develop their household.

Asked about the role of the dowry in the relations existing  between men and women if the women will be having the same responsibilities as men do, he (Munyamaliza) responded that the role of dowry in traditional Rwanda is not the one of today.

Before the  dowry was considered as a valued symbol given to parents to thank them for the wonderful work they did in raising the bride.

However the currently dowry is considered to be  commercial tool whereby the family of the bride poses economically heavy conditions to the man before accepting their girl to be someone’s wife.

At the international level the focus was put on the fact that the CAR women did not celebrate this Saturday’s international women’s day because of the bloody conflicts that are prevailing the country between Muslims and Christians.

CAR President Catherine Samba Panza expressed her regret that women in the country have not been able to celebrate,urging them to be the pillars of peace Restoration.

Listeners who intervened in the show were divided about this gander based concept, some saying that this hinders men form exercising their roles, while others supported the fact that the women are also able to lead family affairs as well as men do

The role of journalism in communicating this  gender concept to the general public has been criticized, meaning  that the extent at which  media report in the issue is not as sufficient as it should be.

This show is a weekly show that brings together experts, journalists and politicians to debate on issues that concern Rwanda and at the international scene.

UM– USEKE.RW