UNIFEM turns focus on gender equality

Gender equality should be a joint responsibility and not only left to women as has been the case in the past, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office in Charge of Gender Promotion, Dr Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya has said. Mujawamariya made the appeal on Friday at Hotel Novotel during a one day workshop organized by United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM).The minister emphasized the need to have enormous will at all levels of leadership as stated by the national constitution. “30 per cent of all decision makers at each level should be women, and we must join hands to press for effective implementation of this,” she said. UNIFEM’s communications officer, Irene Zirimwabagabo said that such a report would be a boost amidst strategic commitment in reducing inequalities between men and women. “We believe in principles of mutual respect, equality and participation for sound social, economic and political development,” said Zirimwabagabo. UNIFEM’s regional programme director Dr. Josephine Odera told participants that although some strides have been made in positioning women in higher leadership positions, the missing link still prevails. “Strategies taken on capacity building in gender skills have been let down by poor empowerment programmes that work towards the integration of women through the District Development Plan,” said Odera. Ends