NORTHERN PROVINCE

GAKENKE—Women in the rural community have been challenged to embark on income generating activities. Communities are being urged to educate girls in order to counter entrenched problems of sexism, gender violence, and gender inequality in Rwandan society.

This sentiment was reiterated during celebrations for International Rural Women’s Day. Ntamitondero Modeste, in charge of gender mainstreaming in Gakenke District, said that "Rwandan society is hugely discriminatory against women. It is time to turn a patriarchal society into a fair, equal society.”

She asked women to grow fruits and vegetables, to balance their diet and also grow cash crops such coffee instead of matoke, potatoes and other staples.

District Mayor Mugemangango Epiphrodite implored men to stop following Rwandan proverbs and discriminatory behaviours that marginalize women.

"Where as women are left to do domestic chores, men spend a lot of time drinking in bars wasting the little resources for the family,” the mayor said.

The best schools in promoting girls education in the district were rewarded with Frw1 million. These were Groupe Scholarie Rwankuba and Ecole Primaire Kirebe. Five women who had showed shrewdness in enterprising agriculture in Busengo were rewarded with hoes.

Ends