Women leaders urged to aim higher

Senate president, Dr Jean Damascene Ntawukuriryayo has called on Rwanda women not to relax in their quest to achieve equality with their male counterparts.

Monday, September 24, 2012
Women take a break from the meeting during the General assembly at Parliament Saturday. The New Times / John Mbanda.

Senate president, Dr Jean Damascene Ntawukuriryayo has called on Rwanda women not to relax in their quest to achieve equality with their male counterparts. While addressing the National Women Council (NWC) General Assembly, Ntawukuriryayo appreciated the achievements by the council, but encouraged them to maintain the momentum to improve their social status. "Though you have achieved so much in political, social and economic development, a woman should remain the engine of Rwanda’s development, we still have to educate our children, to fight against conflict and violence and many others to improve our welfare,” he told the women during the event that was held on Saturday at the parliamentary buildings.According to the Council’s vice president, Marie Rose Ndejeje the assembly was convened to assess their achievements and chart a way forward.    "The National Women Council annually holds a meeting to assess the status of a Rwandan woman and where she is headed,” said Ndejeje.Addressing the media, the council’s secretary general, Salafina Flavia called for government support in their projects."The national women council has a low budget despite many projects to implement, because we have organs from the national down to the grassroots level, we don’t have enough funds and the government should intervene,” she said.