Parents have been urged to impart cultural values among the young generation to check recurring disharmony and disputes among families. Henriette Umulisa, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry for Gender and Family Promotion, made the call on Saturday during a one-day workshop on the Rwandan family and its challenges in the contemporary world. The workshop was organised by Jesuit Fathers in Rwanda. She said, “A good family is a source of peace and development. A child brought up from a family living in harmony will uphold positive values. Children whose families live in harmony, will observe values that they transfer to their offsprings.” Umulisa observed that children who grew up in families that are always embroiled in conflict or disputes cannot make good families as they always follow the bad example from their parents or guardians. “We need to be good role models to our descendents and teach them positive values and best family practices to ensure we have strong and sustainable families,” Umulisa said. In Rwanda, the family faces a serious secular pressure which degrades and trivialises the responsibility of close and extended family. The main challenges facing families in Rwanda include; poor parenting, adoption of foreign cultures that always undermine the Rwandan culture, human trafficking, gender based violence, among others. Antoine Kambanda, Bishop of Kibungo Catholic Diocese, said there is a need for everyone to be concerned with family issues to deal with the challenges. He said, “The family is responsible for shaping future parents. The challenges we have today is how to reconcile the inalienable role of the mother, the spouse and entry into competition on the job market. Christian families and society at large are called upon to reflect on how to find the right balance between development and responsible parenting.” Donathile Mukasekuru, a psychologist at, Kura Mutimawurugo centre, which trains youth on best family practices, said parents should dedicate enough time to discuss with their sons and daughters who are preparing for marriage on good attitudes that a responsible husband or wife must have.
