An official of the United Nations Population Fund [UNFPA] has blamed cultural practises for the violation of women’s rights.

Therese Zeba, the UNFPA representative in Rwanda, said that culture was so deep rooted in the minds of some people that others respect it more than they respect a country’s laws.

She was speaking last Wednesday at the launch of the UNFPA’s, 2008 State of the World Population, report in Kigali.   
"We know that cultural traditions and beliefs are stronger than laws. We have seen this during our work of ending female genital mutilation and child marriages in most African countries,” she said, stressing that culture was only a way of life that could be changed over time.

"Culture is created by people and people can change culture. Communities have to look at their cultural values and practices to determine whether these impede or promote the respect of human rights,” she said.

The report "Reaching Common Ground: Culture, Gender and Human Rights” revealed that Rwanda’s annual population growth rate stands at 2.8. 

Also, according to the report, the overall fertility rate stands at approximately 6 children per woman while the use of modern contraceptives stands at 17 percent.

Speaking on behalf of Finance Minister, James Musoni, the Minister of Youth, Protais Mitali, also blamed cultural attitudes for the rising population.

"The high fertility rates in Rwanda and the associated high population growth, place considerable constraints to the achievement of the Vision 2020 and the Millennium Development Goals. This is associated with reduced per capita GDP, food insecurity, severe pressure on environment, increased demand for basic services and the risk of conflicts due to poverty,” Mitali said.

On a positive note, the report indicated that efforts at ensuring free universal education at both primary and secondary levels had been successful for both the boy and girl child in the country.

Aurelien Agbenonci, the Rwanda’s United Nations Coordinator, commended government’s gender sensitive laws and policies, saying that this has led to the increase, in the percentage of female politicians.   

The report revealed that 112 children out of 1,000 live births die annually. And of 100, 000 women who give birth every year, 1300 die at child birth.

The report further reveals that the percentage of women who produce under the supervision of skilled health personnel in the country stands at 28%.

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