By: Supreetha Gubbala
Speak no evil, hear no evil, see no evil. This seems to be the policy of the women who participated in the 2004 National Research on Violence Against Women, conducted by the MIGEPROF in conjunction with USAID.
The most startling result revealing that if domestic violence should occur, 71% of Rwandan women would not take any significant measures to stop it.
The report also revealed that Rwandan women today are facing two main types of gender-based violence: Domestic and Community Violence. In summary, one committed by the partner, and one that is not.
With approximately 13% of women being victims of at least one act of physical violence and as many as 1 in every 4 women being victims of sexual violence between 1999-2004.
In regards to the married women, 40% of women reported suffering from domestic violence more than three times a year, with 17% reporting an injury or broken bone as a result. Out of those injured only 8% have sought for medical attention.
In fact almost half (46%) of the women who have experienced domestic violence never told a soul, with less than 1 percent ever going to the police.
Perhaps this is because over 40% attributed abuse to excessive drinking or money issues. But perhaps, it is due to greater societal barriers and attitudes that still exist today.
Domestic violence seems to be the currently dominating type of GBV in Rwanda, with violence increasing along with the number of children in a household.
Among the women who have experienced violence in their homes over half prefer to pray or forget. Despite alternative causes for this reaction, much may lie in the way gender roles are constructed in Rwanda
Gender roles in Rwanda reflect the specific beliefs and expectations that many African societies assign to women, men, boys and girls on the basis of their sex.
UnityClub Analysis of Rwandan Culture as an Engine to Sustainable Development in Rwanda (2010) revealed that the ideal Rwandese woman was described using the following adjectives: “Calmness, softness, kindness, decency, discretion, endurance, patience, faithfulness and tolerance.”
Whereas an ideal Rwandese man is defined by “authority, leadership, self-control, business management, pride, seriousness, dignity, solidarity, hardworker, patriotic, noble by heart and higher ambitions of honestly, justice and truthfulness.”
Emmanuel Nzaramba, the MIGEPROF representative told Igihe.com, “Our culture like any other in the world is dynamic. For sure there are issues in our cultures that can promote GBV, but interestingly in the same culture, there are other issues (positive values) that can contribute to addressing GBV.”
Whether or not there is a direct connection between cultural ideals and perpetuation of GBV can never be linked for causation.
However, one result is clear. As much as the GBV education must involve the education of perpetrators, nothing can be accomplished without active participation of possible victims.
A MIGEPROF analysis of the deeply rooted social characteristics of conjugal relations in Rwanda only confirms the above.
68% of Rwandan women agree with the fact that an exemplary wife owes unconditional obedience to her husband and 64% agree that a woman must consent to sexual relationships with her husband even if she’s not in the mood.
Finally a whopping 78% believe conjugal problems are not to be discussed outside of the family.
Reading these statistics it is not surprising that most abused choose to turn the other cheek. The current family and gender norms for young girls whether or not it can be seen daily clearly play into the power dominances that fuel GBV.
In fact, based on what has been revealed in the studies, it is clear that models of male authority and female submission are still being transmitted from one generation to the next with few questions asked and few changes made.
However, as concluded by the study, “The only difference between now and modern days is that modernization has revealed to a woman her rights and she has been aware of the violence that she undergoes and how to denounce it.”
This awareness is what makes this particular generation’s mandate greater than those who came before us. Studies have revealed time and again that despite national evidence of violence against women, evidence of women’s cultural apathy to these conditions also exists nationwide.
Nzaramba informed Igihe.com that the MIGEPROF plan already focuses on, developing policy and strategic plans to address gender inequality.
The plan also seeks to enact gender sensitive laws or review those that contain gender discriminatory provisions. It also involves disseminating such policies and laws enabling people to know their rights and be able to claim them.
Finally the plan focuses on conducting awareness campaigns mobilizing and involving the community, especially engaging boys and men to adopt positive masculinity.”
Therefore, it seems the Ministry has already focused greatly on paving the road for this generation’s women to face GBV. All that is left for women to actually walk on it.
In regards to the future generation Nzaramba told Igihe.com, “Ground is being prepared for them to live in a GBV free country. This includes programs in place aiming at educating and empowering girls in all areas of life.”
While the Ministry prepares for such a world, it is time for the young women of Rwanda to have the agency to enact such a world in their everyday life and attitudes. Otherwise the country may be pummeling head first into a national hypocrisy.
Now no one said it was easy because your own culture is not an easy thing to pick and choose from. But the time for our generation has come to make a choice.
Young Rwandan women nationwide whether it be in the rural villages or in the heart of Kigali city, have never been more aware of their rights as they are today.
This is the political climate and national attitude women have been waiting for to make a permanent change, and the time will never be as ripe as now.
Nzaramba is hopeful for this change, “By focusing on the positive values in our culture, with the political will and gender sensitive policies and laws, we are optimistic that gender inequality will ultimately be eliminated. Of course this will take some time, but at least we are sure of where we are going and know what it takes to get there.”
In fact, the Demographic Health Survey of 2010 conducted from January-March of this year has included two sections on GBV. First a section containing solely questions on domestic violence and second, a section of women’s autonomy and domestic violence.
The results are currently being compiled and are expected to be released in the near future. All I can do is hold my breath, open my eyes and hope unusually, that it will prove me wrong.
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