Empowering men and women through gender equality improves household livelihood and food security. ©FAO/Teopista Mutesi

The Rwanda Gender Monitoring Office has defined the categories of gender-based violence (GBV) among them, physical violence, and economic violence – which is denial of economic rights to property, succession, employment or other economic benefits.

According to the Rwanda 2010 Demographic and Health Survey - Key findings, two in five women (41 percent) reported that they have suffered from physical violence at least once since they were 15 years old. Fifty-six percent of women and 25 percent of men believe that wife beating is justified when wives neglect the children. While gender equality ensures access to rights or opportunities is unaffected by gender, on the other hand, violence against women has been largely caused by gender inequality – including rigid gender roles, norms and hierarchies, and ascribing women lower status in society.

When cultural realities come into play

The National Policy against Gender-Based Violence 2011, indicates that although the government has made efforts in GBV prevention and response, there are remaining challenges that need to be addressed, including, persistence of some negative cultural beliefs, and economic/livelihood dependence on the perpetrator by the victim.

The Demographic and Health Survey report showed that rural women are more likely than urban women to have ever experienced spousal physical violence.

Faustin has been sensitizing families in his area about gender equality and against GBV, thanks to gender equality sessions he attended organized by the government of Rwanda. However, this wasn’t the case a few years ago.

“I grew up knowing that home chores were for women and girls. One day, I came home and found my shirt not washed, I asked my wife why it was dirty, yet I had planned to wear it for the meeting the next day. She told me she had been busy. I beat her,” said Faustin of Nyabihu district, with a remorseful face.

One of the main causes of gender-based violence in Rwanda is the couple’s lack of understanding of how to manage family property.

“Before, I couldn’t stand my wife asking me the money I had earned when she just stayed at home. I would ask her if she had worked for it. When she said any other word back a conflict would arise. I thought since she found me with my property they remained mine and she had no say on them,” said Jean of Nyabihu district. He participated in the awareness sessions. He now has a different perspective of how couples should manage their finances regardless who wins bread.  

They call us names

As more awareness is made about gender equality, more men are understanding the concept and how it contributes to peace at the family level, and social coherence in the community at large. However, thanks to the cultural and societal stereotypes that are still much alive, men who have embraced gender equality have been often taunted as bewitched, less manly, and diverted from culture. 

“After attending sessions on gender equality, my husband started helping me to cook, fetching water, and we would do nearly all things together. One day he came home and said people and his fellow men were saying I had bewitched him, and had called him “Inganzwa (husband subjected to the authority of the woman)”. From that time he stopped helping me and has since become violent toward me,” said Utaria, a mother of three children who lives in Ngororero district.

“I am okay now with helping my wife with some work at home, because I realized women work many hours, and juggle many responsibilities than men. I cook, wash clothes for the family and any other task. I have been many times teased by people that my wife controls me, but I don’t care anymore. The most important thing is that it has brought more peace at home,” said Faustin.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), through the project aimed to provide emergency agriculture support to communities affected by floods and landslides in Rwanda implemented with the financial support from UN Central Emergency Response Fund, is creating awareness on gender-based violence (GBV) and Protection Against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse ( PSEA) among communities affected by floods and landslides, specifically in the districts of Nyabihu, Gakenke and Ngororero.

The awareness is FAO's contribution to support farmers prevent and mitigate gender-based violence, as the achievement of greater empowerment and equality also implies a strong engagement with both men and women.

Gaspard, a father of five children, attended a week-long awareness sessions in his district Ngororero.

“I had left farming to my wife, while I looked after the livestock at home. After the sessions that is when I realized she had more heavy responsibilities than I, because she had to go to the farm and also take care of the home business. Now I help her with the work at home,” said Gaspard.

Joseph Rwandege, a farmer facilitator since attending the sessions has sensitized farmers' groups in his sector, Ngororero, against GBV. He says gender-based violence wastes efforts of the family, production and income, thus depriving it of social and economic development. 

Giving children a voice

When there is peace and understanding between couple it trickles down to the children, and the lack of both would negatively affect the children.

Annonciata Nyiramisango, a community mobilizer in Ruhuha cell, says that lack of space for the children to participate in the family affairs coupled with homes experiencing conflict has contributed to school drop-outs, some chidlren become traumatized, while others engage in illicit sexual behaviors that result in unwanted pregnancies.  

During the awareness sessions, parents were encouraged to show love, and talk and listen to their children often so that they play a part in the development of the family as a whole.

“I never ate on the same table with my two children. During meals I would send them in the next room. After the sessions, I went back home and told my children how I loved them and started eating with them. I was surprised when our 20-year-old daughter told me that they thought I hated them, and that they were happy to share a meal with me and my husband,” said Samila of Nyabihu district.

“Most homes with domestic conflicts, parents tend to transfer the anger onto their children. Some children decide to run away, while girls mostly seek affection and love from the wrong places,” said Florence Uwimana.

FAO believes eliminating gender-based violence (GBV) is crucial, not only because it violates human rights but also because it reinforces many contributing factors such as the household vicious cycle of poverty and jeopardizing agricultural productivity, food security and nutrition.

Relevant links:

• FAO Policy on Gender Equality
• The State Of Gender Equality In Rwanda
• Employment, work and time use in agricultural contexts 

Contact:

Teopista Mutesi | Communications Specialist | Email: [email protected] OR [email protected]