Preparations for Women’s Day kick off

Preparations to celebrate this year’s Women’s Day are in high gear. Yesterday the National Women’s Council (NWC) held a media briefing on preparations identifying various focus points in society where women’s rights can further be improved. “Rwanda has achieved tremendously in the area of improving women’s rights whereby very many women are in leadership positions. However in the informal sector and rural areas, women still suffer greatly both at work and at home.” Tuyisenge Christine the Secretary General of NWC said at the meeting held at the NWC offices. Women’s Day is internationally recognized and celebrated every 8th March and this year’s theme is ‘Equal rights, equal opportunities, progress for all.’ Tuyisenge said that on February 28, a special Umuganda will be conducted at mont Kigali to fight soil erosion, an act designed to mainly attract women who will thereafter be lectured on their rights and the significance of the day. Tuyisenge said that several public campaigns and media debates will be conducted prior to the major event so that the message can at least reach every woman in Rwanda on how she can be helped. At the meeting, it was also revealed that due to the government’s initiative, women’s lives in the education and health sectors had been improved immensely. “The percentage of school going girls moved from 69.7% to 96.8%, thanks to the universal education for all under the 9-Year Basic Education Programme as well as other policies aimed at educating the girl child,” Tuyisenge said. Ends