International Women’s Day celebrations were held at the village level throughout Rwanda. Government Ministers, Members of Parliament and other officials gathered with citizens in various places to mark the day. Rwanda’s theme for    this    year’s International    Women’s Day which    also    marked    the    beginning of Rwanda Women  and  Girls’  Month  was  ‘Empower  Women  and  Girls  to  Sustain Families’.

Her Excellency, First Lady of Rwanda, Mrs. Jeanette Kagame, the Guest of Honor at the national  celebrations  in  Kayonza District  served  milk  and  fruits  to  children  as  a demonstration of nutritious feeding. Ending malnutrition is the focus of the first week of the Women and Girls’ month.

The First Lady awarded certificates and prizes to the best performing girls at Primary and Secondary school levels and cows to Guardian Angels from the community. The awards are an initiative of the Imbuto Foundation of which the First Lady is a Founder; Imbuto Foundation is committed to promoting girls’ education which is another focus of the Women and Girls’ month.  The awards to best performers are given to encourage girls to work hard at their studies and excel. While speaking at the celebrations, Mrs. Kagame encouraged girls to pursue an education as opportunities are now availed to both boys and girls. Her Excellency thanked the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion for the initiatives it has started to strengthen families such as ‘akagoroba k’ababyeyi’ which means ‘mother's evening’ organized to discuss and solve challenges women and girls face in their community.

On behalf of the UN Family, the UN Resident Coordinator, a.i., Victoria Akyeampong said that the UN was proud to support and partner with the Government of Rwanda to make an impact on society. The UN joint initiative on youth and economic empowerment, with UN Women as the lead agency contribute to the Government’s month-long celebrations.

The celebrations involved among other things distributing cows and small animals to
12,000 poor families, distributing seeds, providing families with the minimum contribution to open co-operative accounts, constructions of kitchen gardens for the families.

The Minister of Gender and Family Promotion Hon. Aloisea Inyumba thanked all the partners who have supported and planned to take part in the Women and Girls’ Month. She  praised  the  leadership  of  Rwanda, which  has  made  it  possible  for  the  women of Rwanda to soar  to greater heights. She especially thanked the First Lady for her participation and support in issues to do with women and girls in Rwanda.

International Women’s Day celebrations were held at the village level throughout Rwanda. Government Ministers, Members of Parliament and other officials gathered with citizens in various places to mark the day. Rwanda’s theme for    this    year’s International    Women’s Day which    also    marked    the    beginning of Rwanda Women  and  Girls’  Month  was  ‘Empower  Women  and  Girls  to  Sustain Families’.

Her Excellency, First Lady of Rwanda, Mrs. Jeanette Kagame, the Guest of Honor at the national  celebrations  in  Kayonza District  served  milk  and  fruits  to  children  as  a demonstration of nutritious feeding. Ending malnutrition is the focus of the first week of the Women and Girls’ month.

The First Lady awarded certificates and prizes to the best performing girls at Primary and Secondary school levels and cows to Guardian Angels from the community. The awards are an initiative of the Imbuto Foundation of which the First Lady is a Founder; Imbuto Foundation is committed to promoting girls’ education which is another focus of the Women and Girls’ month.  The awards to best performers are given to encourage girls to work hard at their studies and excel. While speaking at the celebrations, Mrs. Kagame encouraged girls to pursue an education as opportunities are now availed to both boys and girls. Her Excellency thanked the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion for the initiatives it has started to strengthen families such as ‘akagoroba k’ababyeyi’ which means ‘mother's evening’ organized to discuss and solve challenges women and girls face in their community.

On behalf of the UN Family, the UN Resident Coordinator, a.i., Victoria Akyeampong said that the UN was proud to support and partner with the Government of Rwanda to make an impact on society. The UN joint initiative on youth and economic empowerment, with UN Women as the lead agency contribute to the Government’s month-long celebrations.

The celebrations involved among other things distributing cows and small animals to
12,000 poor families, distributing seeds, providing families with the minimum contribution to open co-operative accounts, constructions of kitchen gardens for the families.

The Minister of Gender and Family Promotion Hon. Aloisea Inyumba thanked all the partners who have supported and planned to take part in the Women and Girls’ Month. She  praised  the  leadership  of  Rwanda, which  has  made  it  possible  for  the  women of Rwanda to soar  to greater heights. She especially thanked the First Lady for her participation and support in issues to do with women and girls in Rwanda.