Rubavu—Birth control is not only for women, and men can do a lot more to control population bursts, Rubavu vice mayor in charge of the people’s welfare has said.

Jacqueline Bakunduseruye urged men to adopt permanent birth-control methods to decrease family size. Rwanda is currently ranked 23rd in the world for total fertility rate, at 5.37 births per mother.

The comments come at the end of a two-day Rubavu women’s congress in Gisenyi Cultural Centre, designed to discuss women’s role in Rwanda’s political, economic and social development.

"It has always been women to undergo permanent birth-control methods, such as extrication of the fallopian tubes,” Bakunduseruye said.

"There have, however, been many cases where men have gone on to have more children outside marriage making the whole exercise ineffective.”

Other issues covered during the meeting included HIV/Aids prevention; the function and responsibilities of the National Women’s Council; family laws; family planning, and unity and reconciliation.

The president of Rubavu sector advisory committee Erasme Sarambuye urged women participants to involve themselves in development activities.

"Rwanda’s major resources are its people. Properly used, our knowledge, especially women who make the biggest percentage of the population in this country, can lead us to sustainable development” Sarambuye said.

"Leadership begins with the family. You as women should teach children to love and work hard for the good of their country,” he said.

He further encouraged women in Gisenyi to join Mutuelle de Santé, to adopt family-planning methods and advised pregnant women to go for medical checks four times before delivery, as well as for all to know their HIV/Aids status.

According to Françoise Mugorewera one of the participants, the congress helped them to understand various issues.

"We have discussed caring for Aids patients, along with the importance of civil marriage,” Mugorewera said.

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