Gender experts from across Africa have praised the achievements that Rwanda has so far registered in areas of gender equality and the empowerment of women.

This was revealed in an ongoing five-day gender mainstreaming capacity building workshop that kicked off on Monday.

"Rwandans are people whom, when you teach them something, they grab it and run,” said Dr Miriam Jato, the Gender Advisor to UNFPA Africa Regional Office,
Gender experts from 29 African countries are discussing ways of increasing their knowledge on gender issues on the continent.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) sponsored workshop will also identify areas that require increased technical and program support and ways in which support can be provided to women empowerment programmes.

At the opening of the meeting, Deputy Chief Gender Monitor, Cyrille Turatsinze on behalf of Minister of Gender and Family promotion highlighted the achievements of the government of Rwanda in ensuring gender equality.

"The government of Rwanda fully understands the cause for gender equity, and we are committed to ensure this, specifically on women empowerment because we understand the importance of gender mainstreaming process in our society and its role in achieving sustainable development,” said Turatsinze.

He said that Rwanda has done a lot in this area, like establishment of Ministry of Gender and family promotion, a specific office of Gender Monitoring, Gender Focal Point in all ministries, reforming laws that used to exclude women like inheritance law and inclusion of women in Public institutions.

Speaking to The New Times, Dr Jato said that 50 percent of African women are illiterate and highlighted Gender Based Violence as the other challenge to women empowerment in Africa. 

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