GITEGA October 20th (ABP) – The International Day of Rural Women, 2021 edition, was celebrated on Friday in Giheta commune of Gitega province (central Burundi) on the call of all development actors to support the efforts of rural women in their development initiatives. The ceremonies were enhanced by the presence of the Minister of National Solidarity, Social Affairs, Human Rights and Gender, Mrs. Imelde Sabushimike, the 1st Vice-President of the Senate, Mrs. Denise Ndadaye, the Governor of the Gitega province, Mr. Venant Manirambona and several guests. They were also marked by the presentation of incentive prizes of an envelope of one million Burundian francs to each representative of the 9 associations of rural women who stand out in their economic empowerment initiatives.
The ceremonies of that day were opened by the field visit of the minister in charge of gender, the 1st vice-president of the Senate and some other authorities to two associations of rural women of the Giheta commune. The “Ingero y’ubuzima” association from Muremera stands out in its agricultural and livestock activities, while the other association in the headquarters of Giheta produces cereal flour.
In his speech, the Minister of National Solidarity, Social Affairs, Human Rights and Gender immediately congratulated rural women for their undeniable role in the economic growth of families and the country. She then signified that the efforts made by rural women in our country come up against the multiple challenges that hinder the obtaining of sufficient production for the food self-sufficiency of families, and the surplus to sell to the market and provide for others. household needs. Those challenges are among others the small size of cultivable land, soil degradation, poor access to new agricultural techniques and agro-pastoral processing technologies, and climatic hazards which damage crops.
The Minister having Gender in her attributions then took stock of the Government’s achievements in favor of the development of rural women in Burundi. He notably mentioned the establishment of the national policy for the economic advancement of women, the national chemical fertilizer subsidy program, the marshland development program, Nawe Nuze savings and loan associations in all provinces, the construction of storage sheds for agricultural products, the creation of the agricultural bank and the women’s bank which will be operational soon.
Mrs. Sabushimike thus invited the various actors of the various development sectors to make their contributions to the development efforts of women.
In her speech, the 1st Vice-President of the Senate, Mrs. Denise Ndadaye, encouraged women to move forward in their efforts for the economic empowerment of families and the development of the country. She then appreciated the many initiatives taken by rural women to improve their socio-economic living conditions for their families and the country. She notably cited the increased movement of their membership in associations and cooperatives, many rural women who are interested in craft activities, petty trade, community health mutuals, microfinance, literacy, etc.
She invited men to help women to lighten the burden of the multiple household activities that weigh heavily on them.
In his welcoming remarks, the governor of Gitega province, Mr. Venant Manirambona, congratulated the rural women of this province for the step taken in the initiatives of economic empowerment which are manifested in particular by their enthusiasm for associations and cooperatives of increase in production.
In her speech, the representative of rural women, Mrs. Madeleine Kamuragiye, appreciated the various interventions in support of the efforts of rural women carried out by the government of Burundi and its development partners. She recommended strengthening these interventions to improve women’s access to agricultural inputs such as selected seeds and phytosanitary products.
In his speech, the resident representative of the UNDP in the interim, Mr. Titus Osundina, reaffirmed the commitment of the United Nations system in Burundi to do everything possible to ensure technical and financial support to the government of Burundi to help the country to move towards equitable economic development for all its sons and daughters.