IT was a belated Women’s Day celebrations on March 15,  as the Rwanda Sisterhood Association in the UK marked International Women’s Day.

Women’s Day is globally marked on March 8.

As part of the celebrations, the Association organised a conference under the theme: Women’s role in Forging Unity and Reconciliation. The conference which attracted over 170 women from 14 different countries, was held at the Mayor of Southwark’s office complex in Southwark Borough, London.

His Lordship Abdul Mohamed, the Mayor of Southwark noted that women are most powerful when they work in unity.

He gave an example of the Borough being the most productive council because of being led by women.

The Rwandan High Commissioner to UK, Williams Nkurunziza, commended the association for organising the event and shared with participants the highlights of Rwanda's progress in women empowerment.

"The Rwandan Government has made a commitment to make women empowerment a core of its process of governance. Of note is the fact that women parliamentarians have been key drivers of progressive gender policies as well as strong advocates of gender empowerment programmes. The results of these initiatives have been phenomenal,” Nkurunziza said in a speech read on his behalf.

Nkurunziza said these gains have enriched Rwanda and  have also demonstrated what is possible when you have the right leadership, articulating the right policies.

"In our quest for unity, reconciliation and reconstruction, we have benefited from women as healing agents, thought leaders and peace builders," he added.

The conference was also addressed by Advocate Karen McKenzie, Acting Head of Human Rights at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London and Mrs Gladys Kavuma, the Kabaka of Buganda representative for women’s affairs in the UK and Ireland, who gave a key note speech.