CDE-Rwanda launches a project to promote equal rights for women

By Elias Hakizimana.

Center for Development and Enterprise (CDE-Rwanda) has inaugurated a new project dubbed ‘Promotion of Women Equal Rights in Rwanda’ with the aim to bridge gender gaps in terms of access to equal rights between women and men.

Speaking during the project launch in Kigali on January 7, 2023, Rene Gosciny Bigirimana, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of CDE-Rwanda said that the project will be implemented through a campaign to educate the community about the role of gender equality in the development of families and the nation.

“We want to engage experts and other stakeholders to educate families and show them how they can strive for sustainable development. Indeed, this project aims at promoting women and girls’ development through small businesses and help them to shift from informal to formal sector,” Bigirimana said.

He commends the efforts of the government of Rwanda in a continuous journey to empower women and girls by eradicating gender gaps and gender-based violence (GBV).

“The project will also embark on good relationships between the couples and equal rights to properties for both regally and illegally married couples,” he noted.

“GBV is on the rise, and it affects Rwandan communities and especially children. It increases school dropouts, street children and pre-mature pregnancies among adolescents and becomes a burden to the development of the country,” he added.

The year-long project will be implemented in four districts of Rwanda namely Gicumbi, Nyanza, Rubavu and Nyabihu. It will be replicated in other areas of the country following financial stability of the organization according to Bigirimana.

Apart from financial obstacle, Bigirimana said that there is need to increase education among the communities to change their mindset about GBV.

“We want everyone to own responsibilities towards preventing GBV as a key driver of families and country’s development,” he said.

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