International Women’s Day Celebrations in Rwanda: A Dual Narrative


It has been a considerable period of time since we have engaged in communication. However, this does not imply that we are idle or on vacation, as composing articles is a secondary concern to our ongoing struggle. Many individuals are unaware of the fragility and paranoia that characterise Paul Kagame’s autocratic rule. If this were a medical condition, the diagnosis would be acute and the patient would require intensive care.

Paul Kagame

The celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD) in Rwanda is a significant event, marked with considerable fanfare and official recognition. However, a closer examination of these celebrations reveals a more nuanced narrative that contrasts the official narrative of progress and empowerment with the lived experiences of many women, particularly in rural and disadvantaged urban areas.

The Reality: Persistent Challenges

Notwithstanding these accomplishments, numerous women in Rwanda persist in confronting considerable obstacles. There is a discrepancy between the image of the empowered Rwandan woman and the reality of those living in rural and disadvantaged urban communities. There are ongoing issues with limited access to education, healthcare and economic opportunities. Furthermore, gender-based violence and societal norms that restrict women’s roles and opportunities continue to present significant barriers.

The empowerment of women is not solely about political representation. Genuine empowerment entails the capacity to make decisions in accordance with one’s principles and to drive positive change for the betterment of society. It is closely linked to the ability to speak up against unfair practices and to play an active role in decision-making processes that affect their lives and communities.

Constitutional Amendments and Political Representation

The amendment to the Rwandan constitution and the subsequent empowerment of women serve to illustrate the inherent complexities of political representation. While the presence of women in parliament is a positive step, it is essential to consider whether these representatives are able to genuinely advocate for the interests and liberation of all women, or if they are constrained by other political agendas.

Women’s Day

Despite the perception of Rwanda as a country where women have been empowered and are highly represented in the national senate, this is not the case. Rather, the situation is one of disempowerment and disillusionment among women in Rwanda.

Women’s Day

When an individual is unable to make decisions based on their convictions, it can be argued that they are not truly empowered, but rather disempowered. Therefore, when a group of women is aware that just five minutes away from their parliament/Senate house, women and their children are residing in deplorable conditions, and are afraid to speak up, it becomes evident that the regime has effectively silenced their maternal instincts.
By women in parliament collectively voting to amend the Rwandan constitution to benefit an autocratic and questionable individual rather than the country, it is evident that their actions are not aligned with the liberation of women, but rather with the subjugation of women.

Women’s Day

This article will examine the International Women’s Day celebrations in closer detail. Despite the ostensible benevolence of the International Women’s Day celebrations, it is nevertheless an insult to the Rwandan woman to be compelled to observe a day that holds no significance for her. It is imperative to scrutinise the image of the woman that is being propagated to represent this day. Does this image align with the reality on the ground, and does she demonstrate concern for the plight of women in rural and urban disadvantaged communities? It is evident that the answer to these questions is negative.

Women’s Day

Women’s Day

Women’s Day

Women’s Day

Women’s Day

Women’s Day

Women’s Day

Women’s Day

It is an excellent concept to commemorate International Women’s Day. Nevertheless, this should be a daily occurrence, encompassing all women, as women are the unsung soldiers who must endure the daily insults and challenges posed by society. The woman plays a multifaceted role in the African family, acting as the primary caretaker and provider, ensuring the well-being of her family through nourishment, care, reassurance, education, and shelter. However, in some countries, such as Rwanda, International Women’s Day has become a day of indulgence for the wives and girlfriends of the elite, while the peasant and working class are left to fend for themselves.

Women’s Day

In observance of International Women’s Day, a group of women affiliated with the oppressive Rwandan dictatorship have been seen conferring medals, certificates, and bonuses upon themselves, thereby perpetuating the false narrative that they are the sole women of significance in Rwanda. Such actions constitute an insult to the most vulnerable women in Rwanda.

Women’s Day

It has been observed that the other class of women has been denied their rights and voice by the same class of individuals who have assumed the role of champions of the women’s cause. Indeed, the individuals who purport to represent and champion International Women’s Day are, in fact, nothing more than social parasites who engage in the daily exploitation of women, including mothers, sisters, daughters, neighbours, colleagues, educators, and healthcare professionals.

Women’s Day

The reality of the contemporary Rwandan woman is evidenced by the deplorable conditions in the country’s hospitals. These facilities are woefully under-equipped, with patients forced to give birth under candlelight instead of electricity. Furthermore, the hospital stay is often brief, with patients being discharged barely 39 minutes after giving birth. It would be remiss not to mention the girls who are compelled to attend school without underwear because they are unable to afford it. In some cases, schools have introduced a policy whereby girls must borrow underwear from other students.

Women’s Day

One might also consider the merciless destruction of food crops belonging to peasant women who have not followed the regime’s policy of growing cash crops. These women have instead cultivated potatoes to feed their hungry children.

Women’s Day

Furthermore, there is the disturbing phenomenon of the demolition of residential properties, which occurs when impoverished women are unable to meet their local tax obligations to government authorities.

Women’s Day

The image of Jeannet Nyiramongi Kagame, the wife of the Rwandan autocratic leader, posing for photographs with a group of women who display a lack of concern for the experiences of the remaining 90% of women in Rwanda raises questions about the true significance of International Women’s Day in Rwanda.

If the objective of the day is to patronise the majority of women in Rwanda, then it is questionable whether female parliamentarians who have remained silent on the real plight of the Rwandan woman can be regarded as deserving of respect.

One might inquire as to the extent of their solidarity with innocent female prisoners.

Women’s Day

One might inquire as to the extent of their solidarity with mothers residing in sewer systems.

Women’s Day

One might inquire as to the extent of their solidarity with girls who are compelled to borrow undergarments in order to attend school. One might inquire as to the extent of their solidarity with mothers who are compelled to vacate maternity wings a mere 39 minutes after giving birth. One might also inquire as to the extent of their solidarity with victims of rape in the Democratic Republic of Congo, perpetrated by militias sponsored by Rwanda. One might also inquire as to the extent of their solidarity with women refugees from Burundi who have been compelled to leave Rwanda. One might also inquire as to the extent of their solidarity with peasant women who lack regular access to food. One might also inquire as to the extent of their solidarity with women who lack access to clean water.

Women’s Day

It is unjust for a select group of women to exploit this significant occasion for their own benefit, driven by an insatiable appetite for wealth and luxury.

This day should be dedicated to the woman who is forced to work the land to provide sustenance for her family, the woman who must traverse miles to reach the nearest medical facility, the woman who is compelled to secure loans from unscrupulous lenders to cover educational expenses for her children, the woman who traverses the elements to retrieve her children from school, the woman who sells vegetables at a roadside stand to ensure her family’s survival, the woman who spends days at the prison gates to maintain contact with her incarcerated loved one, and the woman who engages in self-starvation. This results in the children being unable to eat the limited food available.

Women’s Day

If this day was indeed reserved for important women in Rwanda, it would be reasonable to inquire as to the whereabouts of those women who participated and contributed to the struggle that brought dictator Paul Kagame to power.

Fellow Compatriots,

It seems that the Paul Kagame group may believe that Rwanda is a place where undesirable individuals can be kept indefinitely. Those in power are mistaken in their assumption that they can maintain control indefinitely. The time has come to accelerate the pace of change and remove those who are hindering progress. It is crucial to recognise that those in positions of authority have no inherent right to exploit, patronise, murder, abuse, etc. our people. It is therefore time for them to leave. Those who are wise enough to recognise their limitations should start planning their exit today.

Long Live the Rwandan Woman

Sub-delegate

Joram Jojo

 

Rwanda