KIRUNDO/MAKAMBA/RUTANA March 27th (ABP) – The celebration of International Women’s Day took place on March 23, 2024, in three provinces of the country.
In Kirundo province (northern Burundi), the festivities took place in the Murore zone of the Busoni commune. The governor of this province Victor Segasago, in his speech, insisted on couples in common law, inviting them to regularize their marriages as soon as possible. He also winked to young boys and girls who are preparing for their marriages, to no longer think about forming illegal households, since the observation is that gender-based violence is often observed in households in free Union.
He further asked the population of Kirundo to point the finger at the administrative authorities or others who engage in cohabitation, so that they are dismissed, given that the authorities are called to always serve as good examples.
According to the director of the provincial family and social development office, Zéphyrin Ndabarushimana, gender-based violence has significantly decreased in Kirundo province since 2023, thanks to awareness raising on the good cohabitation of spouses. He also recalled that this province has recorded, in the last two years, 9 women murdered within a period of less than a year.
As for the president of the women’s forum in Kirundo province, Anesie Uwizeyimana, she asked the BRB to still authorize the activities of small savings and credit groups, since they contributed a lot to the economic empowerment of women and in communities, and helped many households to buy seeds or small livestock that provide them with manure.
In Makamba province, the festivities took place in Kayogoro. The governor’s legal advisor, Mr. Ezéchiel Harerimana, indicated that the provincial administration takes issue with men who rape girls and women. He advises women to form cooperatives to access credits offered by the BIDF.
The president of the national women’s forum in this province, Concesse Niyonsaba, praised the Burundian government for its multiple actions to support women in their development. The head of the UNHCR office who represented development partners working in Makamba, Mrs. Marie Akpess, asked parents to keep girls in school to have women in different decision-making bodies.
The celebration of International Women’s Day was also an opportunity to provide food and non-food aid to 87 destitute families made up of returnees, child heads of households and others.
Women of Rutana province celebrated International Women’s Day in the capital of Musongati commune. On the occasion of this day, the governor of the province of Rutana Mr. Olivier Nibitanga visited the Saint Joseph hospital in the Musongati commune where he provided assistance consisting of 200kg of rice, 200kg of sugar, 100 dozen soaps as well as 100 dozen cups to 25 vulnerable women in hospital and caregivers.
During his speech, the head of the provincial directorate of family and social development Mr. Raphaël Nduwingoma indicated that despite considerable progress with regard to women’s rights in Burundi and particularly in Rutana province, cases of women who are mistreated in their families, rapes against young girls and unwanted pregnancies are recorded, which suggests that there is still effort to be made in order to achieve total respect for women’s rights, to achieve sustainable development.
The ceremonies were also marked by a volleyball match between a team of women from the commune of Rutana and that of the commune of Musongati, and a parade of women from all the communes of the province accompanied by the governor of the province, the heads of services as well as the deputy who was elected in the province of Rutana.