BUJUMBURA August 16th (ABP) – “The participation of women in decision-making bodies is not a grace given to them, but rather a right recognized by natural rights and positive rights. It embodies life but also, she is the guardian of that same life according to Mr. Victor Mugaruka who spoke recently, under the cap of the representative of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region in the ceremonies of the celebration of the African Woman Day organized by Concertation of the collectives of the women’s associations of the region of the Great Lakes (COCAFEM-GL) supported by Care international Burundi. Mr. Mugaruka, on that occasion, indicated that, as far as he is concerned, the ICGLR has already placed particular emphasis and importance on the participation of women in decision-making spheres as well as in the peace process, security, stability and development of the region. It is to do that, he added, that the 12 member states of that organization have recognized this and have set up a whole program designed particularly for women, because previously the program and the question was totally lost from the ICGLR agenda. On the contrary, he nuanced, currently the Heads of State have understood that this issue is crucial and that they cannot talk about the development of the region without including gender equality. Thus, at the level of the ICGLR, the Gender and Women program was set up. “There is now the ICGLR gender policy which emphasizes the full implementation of Resolution 13-25 in all member states. They also have a regional action plan on that resolution,” he explained. Through that resolution, he said, it is recommended that all States should be able to involve women in all decision-making bodies and at all levels and in the peace process.
Furthermore, Mr. Mugaruka deplores the fact that the texts of that resolution suffer from applicability, while recommending that all actors be able to carry out high-level advocacy so that those texts on gender equality are signed and adopted by the chiefs of State of the ICGLR can be respected. He also believes that COCAFEM and other organizations working in the area of women’s advancement must, once again, increase advocacy so that women are not there as participants but as actors in their own right. The Executive Secretary of COCAFEM, for his part, indicated that the promotion of women in the process of peace and security, the promotion of gender equality and the promotion of women’s rights are themes that are in line with the objectives of COCAFEM. The latter, he added, lead COCAFEM to celebrate the great days dedicated to women both at the global level and at the African level and even at the regional level. Such days are each time organized with the objective of making large-scale advocacy so that women are supported in economic strengthening. According to him, a woman who is not economically strengthened has no voice in her household, she has no voice in her community and she will not even have a voice in decision-making bodies.