MUHANGA- The Minister of Gender and family promotion, Aloisea Inyumba has encouraged women leaders to focus on capacity building to empower Rwandan women.

The Minister was addressing the Forum for women local government leaders in the Southern Province, in Muhanga District, yesterday.

"The time for mobilising women to join leadership roles has ended.  It is now time to put more efforts in capacity building so as to empower women to perform and prove their worth as capable leaders,” Inyumba said:

The Gender Minister noted women have proved their ability with their numbers in decision making positions.

"Women leaders should have a clear vision, mission and an ambition to attain social transformation in the community. This calls for sacrifice beyond self and family and participating in the current development trend,” she said.

This was the first women leaders’ forum.

Participants agreed on the way forward to promote the country’s political will to empower women.

The participants resolved to use information Technology, lead by example and set up such forums in all districts to address women issues.

A survey conducted by Epiphane Mujawimana, presented at the meeting, indicates that most women leaders were still undermined by residents, and are not seen as competent for various reasons.

The forum noted that this was due to cultural factors.

"It is women who are supposed to prove their worth…this has been successful in some cases. We are not going to be set back by such cultural opinions,” said Christine Niwemugeni, the Vice mayor of Huye District.

The meeting also agreed that the women leaders’ forum should in future focus on the use of media, compile a database on women and discuss issues that affect women at all levels.

Ends