As she inaugurated the 4th High Level dialogue on Democracy, Human rights and governance in Africa that started this Monday in Serena Hotel, Rwandan Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo said that further inclusion of women in political spheres will benefit to men and bring more development in their respective nations.
This African conference is attended by 160 officials from different Africans nations and will be focusing on how women can be more included in policy making and implementing processes.
Louise Mushikiwabo said that women can’t achieve their political aspirations if men are not fully involved into the process leading to attainment of that process.
Even though she admitted that African nations have remarkably helped women realize their political dreams, journey leading to completion remains long and requires more men’s involvement.
For her, hindering women from fully being active in policy making and implementing does more harm than good the both women and men as well.
She called different stakeholders to join hands as to create legal and political areas allowing women to benefit for gender differences.
Different key speakers in the conference focused on the tangible and positive achievements in regard of the women inclusion, adding that more needs to be done, especially to girls who are attending schools.
Rwandan Minister of gender and family promotion Oda Gasinzigwa highlighted numbers that showcase that Rwanda has achieved big in promoting gender in Rwanda.
She said that Rwandan women have 30% opportunities to compete for key posts reserved for decisions making or other important ones.
Gasinzigwa said that this resulted from a historical fight for these rights as the colonial period minimized women’s ability, labeling them as less productive in all sense of the terms.
Since 1994 Rwanda has achieved more in women protection and gender promotion and this empowered women in the different areas for their socio-economic and political fulfillment.
The conference is scheduled to close its activities tomorrow. It came after the ones held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea last year.
UM– USEKE.RW
