Rwanda’s women MPs have made history by becoming the first in the world to out number their male counterparts.
They now make up 56% of seats in the Rwandan parliament – compared to 19.3% of female members in the UK parliament. And they’ve now come together behind a campaign to reduce the number of mothers dying in childbirth. In a bid to improve health support for women across Rwanda, female parliamentarians, together with the First Lady, Jeanette Kagame, and development partners, including DFID have backed the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood Rwanda.
The Alliance aims to increase awareness about safe pregnancy and childbirth in Rwanda and unite the many existing initiatives aimed at improving motherhood in the country. The country’s rate of women dying during childbirth is among the world’s highest. Around 2,770 mothers die each year while giving birth – close to one death every three hours, every day of the year. “Rwandan women are key players of our national development, starting with the wellbeing of Rwandan families,” said Jeanette Kagame. “It is ironic that in the process of giving life, mothers are losing theirs. But I am certain that the Rwanda Ribbon Alliance will be able to improve the livelihoods of pregnant mothers and babies in Rwanda.”
Women’s rights have gradually improved since the genocide in 1994. A steady increase of female parliamentarians over the last 10 years has seen laws passed allowing women the rights to inherit land, work without the permission of their husband and make rape and physical violence illegal.
“The remarkable increase in female representation in parliament will give women across Rwanda a far greater voice in the decisions that affect their lives,” said the UK’s International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander. “It is shocking that so many mothers die while giving birth, and that is why the UK is committed to improving health care across Africa.”
They now make up 56% of seats in the Rwandan parliament – compared to 19.3% of female members in the UK parliament. And they’ve now come together behind a campaign to reduce the number of mothers dying in childbirth. In a bid to improve health support for women across Rwanda, female parliamentarians, together with the First Lady, Jeanette Kagame, and development partners, including DFID have backed the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood Rwanda.
The Alliance aims to increase awareness about safe pregnancy and childbirth in Rwanda and unite the many existing initiatives aimed at improving motherhood in the country. The country’s rate of women dying during childbirth is among the world’s highest. Around 2,770 mothers die each year while giving birth – close to one death every three hours, every day of the year. “Rwandan women are key players of our national development, starting with the wellbeing of Rwandan families,” said Jeanette Kagame. “It is ironic that in the process of giving life, mothers are losing theirs. But I am certain that the Rwanda Ribbon Alliance will be able to improve the livelihoods of pregnant mothers and babies in Rwanda.”
Women’s rights have gradually improved since the genocide in 1994. A steady increase of female parliamentarians over the last 10 years has seen laws passed allowing women the rights to inherit land, work without the permission of their husband and make rape and physical violence illegal.
“The remarkable increase in female representation in parliament will give women across Rwanda a far greater voice in the decisions that affect their lives,” said the UK’s International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander. “It is shocking that so many mothers die while giving birth, and that is why the UK is committed to improving health care across Africa.”
No comments:
Post a Comment