BUJUMBURA October 16th (ABP) – Burundi Minister of Human Rights, Social and Gender Affairs, Mr. Martin Nivyabandi, launched a strong appeal to all Burundians to make rural women’s Day, celebrated on October 15 of each year, the expression of recognition and encouragement for rural women, pillar of sustainable development of the country. This was revealed in a statement made on Monday, October 14, 2019.
The official ceremonies marking that Day in Burundi will take place in Ngozi province on October 18th under the national theme “Support rural women’s access to sustainable infrastructures and social protection services”.
The international theme is “Sustainable Infrastructures, Access to Public Services and Social Protection for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Rural Women and Girls”. This theme proposes to reflect on innovative ways to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment, particularly in the areas of social protection, access to public services and the construction of sustainable infrastructures.
Minister Nivyabandi said that this theme is chosen while the Government of Burundi has put social protection among its priorities, in order to advance this important sector that affects all sectors of human life. He cited important progress achieved, including the implementation of the cash transfer program for more vulnerable households, namely rural women, the establishment of the National Solidarity Day, the improvement of mother-and-child health services, quality education for all, sustainable community infrastructures such as roads, hospitals, markets, water fountains. That improves women’s access to different basic services.
According to Minister Nivyabandi, the objective pursued through the celebration of that day is to highlight, once a year, the fundamental role of rural women in society. It is an opportunity for various stakeholders to assess the step already taken in promoting the rural women’s rights, to identify the existing opportunities as well as the challenges that hinder their full development in their daily lives.
With the evolution of the world, while keeping the cultural value of her country, the rural woman has tackled the driving forces of economic development, so as to contribute, as a full citizen of the nation, to her own development and that of her country.
Burundi joins, on October 15 each year, other countries of the world in celebrating World Rural Women’s Day since its institutionalization at the United Nations World Conference on Women, held in Beijing, China, in 1995.
