KIGALI - The president of the National Women Council (NWC), Dr. Diane Gashumba, has said that during the council’s just concluded 7-year mandate, they achieved a lot in regards to uplifting and empowering women in the country.

Gashumba made the remarks, yesterday, while addressing journalists at a news conference held at the Prime Minister’s office, yesterday.

"We have achieved a lot in empowering Rwandan women in the areas of justice, good governance, economic development and social welfare,” she said.

Gashumba added that the council sensitised women countrywide to participate in the elections, starting from the grassroots to the national level, and the women have played their role in choosing the right candidates.

"So far, Rwandan women are occupying most of our public offices, cultural, social, economic and legal institutions,” she noted.

Gashumba stressed that women also participated in promoting unity and reconciliation in the country and as well as fighting the genocide ideology.
In the areas of justice, she pointed out that, women participated in dispensing justice by participating in Gacaca courts, where most judges were women.

She observed that, although they have achieved a lot in the last seven years, they still face some challenges where 23.3 percent of the women are illiterate and some are ignorant of their rights, things they want to see change.
The mandate of NWC expires next month.

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