[women-rights] UNIFEM Executive Director assesses situation of women in Rwanda

For Immediate Release
July 30, 2002 Contact: Leigh Pasqual, 212-906-5463
Rabya Nizam, 212-906-5538
rabya.nizam@undp.org


UNIFEM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NOELEEN HEYZER COMPLETES SUCCESSFUL MISSION
TO ASSESS SITUATION OF WOMEN IN RWANDA

Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director of the United Nations
Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), visited the Republic of Rwanda,
at the invitation of the Government, to assess the situation of women
as the country moves from post-conflict reconstruction to
development. During the four-day visit, which took place 16-20 July,
she was accompanied by the Chief of UNIFEM Africa, Dr Laketch
Dirasse.

The Executive Director was received by the President of the Republic,
H.E. Paul Kagame, and also met with the Minister of Gender and
Women's Development, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, the
Minister of Justice and the Minister of Education. She congratulated
the President and his Ministers on their political will in promoting
women's empowerment and gender equality and their dedication to
mainstreaming gender in all policies, programmes and institutions.
Meeting with the President, she stated that this political will "has
been a big step towards empowering women at all levels," and
requested the President to be the champion of women's rights and
gender equality among other heads of state in Africa. President
Kagame accepted this role.

During her visit, Dr. Heyzer also addressed the Transitional National
Assembly and met representatives of other new institutions, including
the Legal and Constitutional Commission, National Unity and
Reconciliation Commission, Human Rights Commission and Electoral
Commission. She expressed particular pleasure at the support given by
UNIFEM to the Gender Desk and its assistance to the Women's Forum of
the Transitional National Assembly in the successful campaign for a
new inheritance law guaranteeing women's rights to land. She was also
pleased to see positive results from UNIFEM's support to women's
participation in drafting a new constitution and their active role in
peace-building and reconciliation.

At the request of President Kagame, Dr. Heyzer promised UNIFEM
support to women's entrepreneurship and information technology as a
way to reduce women's poverty.

A major objective of Dr. Heyzer's visit was to meet and talk to
Rwandan women. She and Dr. Dirasse held extensive discussions with
women at all levels, including politicians and academics, grassroots
and professional groups, women who had survived the recent genocide,
and women living with HIV/AIDS. Impressed by their extraordinary
courage and determination, Dr. Heyzer promised to support the women's
pleas for witness protection in her address to the Security Council
on 25 July. She also promised to increase worldwide awareness of the
gender dimension of the HIV/AIDS pandemic and its increasing toll on
women's lives.

Dr. Heyzer expressed her appreciation for the company, assistance and
guidance of the Minister of Gender and Women Development, Hon.
Angelina Muganza, throughout the visit. She also noted with deep
satisfaction the tremendous assistance and support provided by the
UNIFEM Office in Kigali and promised to strengthen its capacity.

For more information, please contact Ms Baudouine Kamatari, UNIFEM
Kigali, tel: +250-590422 - email: baudouine.kamatari@undp.org


The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) works to
promote women's empowerment, rights and gender equality worldwide.
For more information, visit www.unifem.org

UNIFEM, 304 East 45th Street, 15th floor, New York, NY 10017, tel:
212-906-6400, http://www.unifem.undp.org