Strengthening Women's Roles for National Development: Highlights from the 23rd General Assembly of the National Women's Council

Monday, 30th September 2024 – The 23rd General Assembly of the National Women's Council convened at the Rwanda Parliament Plenary Sitting hall, bringing together approximately 180 women representatives from the national level to district level, alongside key women leaders, including Ministers, Members of Parliament, and other stakeholders.

The theme of the assembly was "Women's Development, National Development."

Nyirajyambere Belancile, President of the National Women's Council, emphasized that the assembly provided an opportunity to reflect on the role of women over the next five years in transforming their families and communities while aligning their efforts with Vision 2050.

In her remarks, Minister of Gender and Family Promotion Uwimana Consolee urged all Rwandans to unite for greater progress, particularly encouraging women to enhance their roles in transforming societal attitudes and addressing critical issues such as child abuse, school dropouts, child molestation, and teenage pregnancy—all of which impede the country's development.

In her opening remarks, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Rt. Hon. Kazarwa Gertrude, called upon women to engage in discussions regarding the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) and to analyze the challenges faced by families and their impact on national progress. She also stressed the importance of setting clear objectives and taking necessary actions to overcome these obstacles.

The assembly included the presentation of the 2023-2024 annual report and the approval of the 2024-2025 action plan.

The law governing the responsibilities, structure, and functions of the National Women's Council stipulates that the General Assembly serves as its primary governing body, and convenes annually in the first quarter at all levels, from the Village to the National levels.

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