BUJUMBURA, March 7th (ABP) – Burundi joins the rest of the world on 8 March each year in celebrating International Women’s Day.
The Chairperson of the national women’s forum, Emérence Bucumi, calls on all women to celebrate that day in moderation, as she points out that some women have misunderstood the purpose of that day, which is none other than self-assessment.
According to Mrs. Bucumi, women should understand that the celebration of that day, which is dedicated to them, is a good opportunity to assess themselves as women, to see how far they have already come in terms of development and respect for women’s rights.
She deplores the fact that on that day, some women indulge in drunkenness and other bad behaviour when they should be talking to their husbands to assess the development of their households. Women should also take time out on that day to talk to their children, who surely need it, she adds.
As the pillar of the family, a woman should always think about her family when celebrating that day, instead of hanging out in bistros with her friends to get home at dawn.
Mrs. Bucumi advises all women to assess themselves to see if they are making a remarkable contribution to the development of the household in particular and the country in general. Every woman must contribute to achieving the country’s vision for 2040-2060,” she stressed.
With regard to the added value of that day, Mrs. Bucumi indicated that with the establishment of the national women’s forum and the celebration of that day dedicated to women, Burundian women have changed their mentality. She points out that today’s women are no longer afraid of getting involved in political affairs, and that they are getting involved en masse in cooperative activities to help themselves develop, thanks to the awareness-raising activities of the forum and the advice they receive through the speeches given during the day’s celebrations. She also praised the government’s efforts to promote women, expressing satisfaction that women are now satisfactorily represented in decision-making bodies.