The government needs to use its institutions to beef up efforts to educate Rwandans about women’s rights and appropriate family values to curb a trend where some men stray into polygamy. 

The call was made Tuesday by the Lower Chamber of Parliament in a report made by the House’s Standing Committee on Political Affairs and Gender after touring 24 districts across the country, looking at gender issues in mid last year.

It was noted that some officials don’t deliver marriage certificates for massively-wed couples, while parents are paying heavily for their children’s nuptial expenses.

The MPs recommended that the government increases the budget for sensitising the population about the principle of gender equality and how that affects the well-being of families.

The government was also asked to empower the National Women Council to deliver on its mission to educate women by hiring the council’s employee at the district level and ensure that documents about marital status are availed to couples who need them.

Most MPs agreed with their colleagues in the Gender and Political Affairs Committee on a number of issues, including the need for the Ministry of Public Service and Labour (MIFOTRA) to hire a permanent employee at the district level to coordinate the National Women Council’s activities.

"I support the resolution that MIFOTRA appoints the employee for women’s council at the district because some districts don’t hire the employees claiming that they are not catered for by MIFOTRA,” said MP Nura Nikuze, who represents women in the Western Province.

MP Alfred Kayiranga Rwasa, a former chairperson of the parliamentary Standing Committee on Political Affairs and Gender, argued in favour of appointing the women council staff and explained that things are working better in a few districts where the staff to coordinate activities of the National Women Council have been hired by District Advisory Councils.

"Wherever there are such employees the results are good,” Rwasa said while presenting the committee’s report.

Among other specific recommendations made include that addressed to the Ministry of Justice to fast-track, within one year, the process to issue marriage certificates for couples who were officially married during campaigns to legalise their marriages and were not immediately given their certificates.

Other couples’ marriage certificates were also misplaced by local officials during the merger of different administrative jurisdictions to form new administrative entities like districts and sectors.

The ministry has also been urged to increase campaigns to educate the population and local officials about the country’s laws.

The Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion was advised to conduct a comprehensive study about the most pressing issues affecting the Rwandan society at the moment and how to address them, while the Prime Minister’s Office has been urged to ensure that campaigns to educate men and women about gender equality are strengthened across the country.

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