BUJUMBURA September 18th (ABP) – The Burundi Development Agency (ADB), the CDE (Center for Development and Enterprises Great Lakes) and the CFCIB, organized Thursday September 14 in Bujumbura, a forum of women leaders which brings together women leaders from several backgrounds including the Burundian Ombudsman, the National Assembly, the Senate, the Presidency of the Republic, academics, business women, representatives of associations and others under the theme: “women, actresses of the emergence of Burundi”.
In her opening speech, Burundian Ombudsman Aimée Laurentine Kanyana said that this event is an opportunity offered to discuss the role and responsibility of women leaders to lead Burundi towards emergence. She noted that as women leaders, they will also discuss their involvement in the development of the country.
The said event offers them the opportunity to exchange with national and international experts on the ideas that lead to prosperity. According to her, is an opportunity to identify economic reforms likely to stimulate the development of the private sector, create employment and improve business opportunities for all, in order to realize the vision of the Head of State of a Burundi emerges in 2040 and developed in 2060. The realization of this vision needs courageous, enterprising, far-sighted women and the development of Burundi is the responsibility of each of them, hence she encouraged women leaders to serve as models for their sisters.
In turn, the Director General of the ADB, Mr. Didace Ngendakumana, indicated that the theme chosen for this year not only resonates as a call to action, but also as a recognition of strength, determination and the immeasurable capacity that resides in every Burundian woman.
He also stressed that promoting women’s rights is not simply a matter of social justice, but a strategic economic necessity. According to Mr. Ngendakumana, it is imperative to initiate legal initiatives that not only protect, but strengthen women’s rights. We must work to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women in laws and policies.
It is also crucial to create an institutional environment that actively supports women in achieving their ambitions. To women politicians and government executives, he invited them to be the spokespersons for these changes, to promote the implementation of policies that encourage and facilitate female entrepreneurship, girls’ education and the participation of women in political and economic decision-making bodies.
The Director General of the ADB also specified that women bankers have a vital role to play in facilitating access to credit for women entrepreneurs and in promoting financial education, thus making it possible to build thriving businesses and viable businesses led by women.
Mr. Ngendakumana took that opportunity to recall that the ADB signed a memorandum of understanding with the Women’s Investment and Development Bank (BIDF), for the organization of activities aimed at promoting investments by Burundian women and their support. The main beneficiaries of this memorandum of understanding are women entrepreneurs with projects and in need of technical and financial capacity building. He invited Burundian women to work together for a Burundi where every woman has the freedom and the means to fully contribute to the path towards a more prosperous and more inclusive nation.
Dr. Sabine Ntakarutimana who was among the panelists said that among the barriers which prevent the development of Burundian women, include the lack of solidarity between women, the lack of self-esteem, many births, the difficulties of access credit and others.
They asked women to be united and innovative to contribute to the development of the country. We must also promote the development of families, explaining that the family is the basis of everything. We also need to do family planning because with the galloping people, it is difficult for a country to develop. Promoting the education of girls up to university level can also help reduce births because these girls will marry as adults, underlined Mrs. Sabine Ntakarutimana.
The participants in the said session pleaded for a law facilitating access to credit for women who, until today, do not have enough to mortgage to access credit.