African countries should follow Rwanda’s example and come out clearly on domestic and other family related bills. The call was made by members of Club de Madrid and European Women Parliamentarians who are currently on tour in the Great Lakes Region.

The tour, organised by the African Women Parliamentarians and the European Parliamentarians for Africa (AWEPA), will include several African countries especially in the Great Lakes Region and North Africa promoting the theme: ‘Focusing on Gender Legislative priorities and the peace’.

The role of women in society will be emphasised, at the same time lobbying for the passing of laws that protect women from violence and gender discrimination.

The group, led by Latvia’s former President Vaila Vike-Freiberga, was in Uganda to meet the First Lady Janet Museveni and the Prime Minister Apollo Nsibambi over the long standing Domestic Relations Bill and the Domestic Violence Bill which have not been passed despite being tabled 10 years ago.

Addressing the press, the group consisting women Parliamentarians from Uganda and East Africa lauded the Kigali government for having worked hard towards passing laws on domestic violence, polygamy, property ownership, women and children’s rights among others.

"It’s quite challenging that Rwanda, a country that is just recovering after a devastating genocide, has set the pace for all African governments which claim to have been peaceful and having legal governments for long, in enacting laws that liberate a woman,” remarked Miria Matembe, a member of the African Union Parliament.

Rwanda was also recognized for having the biggest number of female parliamentarians despite being a small country.

Prof. Ruth Onianga from Kenya said that Rwanda has become a success story where the woman has been emancipated and can now own property, speak out in public and make vital decisions in society.

Vike-Freiberga, ranked among the 100 most powerful women in the world, said that Africa has a long way to go in the struggle to emancipate women because it’s unbelievable that in this era, domestic violence still prevails and there are no laws in place to condemn it.

The group, through the African Women Leader’s Project that is funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), will traverse Africa, pushing governments to pass family laws that protect women and children.

"These bills are not to make women unruly like many think, but to liberate women and enable them to unleash their full potential,” explained Matembe.

A study by the project puts Rwanda first in having laws that protect women, closely followed by Kenya in the East African Region. Tanzania and Uganda are ranked 3rd and 4th respectively.

The Club of Madrid is an association of past leaders who relinquished the presidency democratically, challenged with the task of promoting good leadership, human rights and peace.

It boasts of over 70 former heads of state and government. Notable members who have volunteered in peace building and promoting good governance include Nelson Mandela, Joachim Chissano, Mary Robinson and Tony Blair among others.

The team will head to Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda before they wind up in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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