BUJUMBURA December 18th (ABP) – The Ministry of Peace and Reconciliation under the Cross (MIPAREC) organized, Thursday December 14, 2023 in Bujumbura, an awareness workshop under the theme “investing to prevent violence against women and girls”, as part of the celebration of 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, to show its contribution in the fight against gender-based violence.
In his remarks, the legal representative of MIPAREC, Mr. Jean Pierre Niyonzima, pointed out that the company he represents contributes to the promotion of women’s rights in the community. That company aims to help the Burundian population achieve reconciliation and social cohesion.
However, that seems impossible due to the fact that cases of violence against women and girls are observed in the community, he lamented.
Mr. Niyonzima took the opportunity to point out that MIPAREC carries out its activities in 13 provinces and 60 communes, while emphasizing that that association has several projects to implement to promote women’s rights, notably the social justice project, the GEWEP III project (gender equality women in powerment program), the project relating to education, peace and mental health.
He also spoke about some causes linked to gender-based violence, including the culture and morals left by the ancestors and the Holy Scriptures which say that the man is the head of the household.
To eradicate gender-based violence, Mr. Niyonzima recommends combining efforts to establish synergy between the different actors working in the promotion of women’s rights, to achieve peace and sustainable household development. , community and country.
The coordinator of the social justice project, Mr. Antoine Manirambona, noted that MIPAREC works in complementarity with the peace committee at the municipal level, namely the municipal administrator, the social affairs advisor at the municipal level, the municipal director of education, the president of the residence court, the judicial police officer as well as other associations at the municipal level which work in the field of the promotion of women’s rights.
Mr. Manirambona said women and girls are most at risk in households. To do that, MIPAREC has put in place “a dialogue framework” to help protect them, he announced.
With that framework, he testified that 180 families changed their mentalities and some of them revealed how they were helped by that dialogue framework, adding that men and women must enjoy the same rights regarding the family economy.