Men key in fight against gender-based violence

By: Supreetha Gubbala

Rwanda Men’s Resource Center (RWAMREC) has urged Rwanda males to play role in eradicating any gender-related violence to women in the country.

The call was made Thursday at a workshop organized by RWAMREC at Hotel Milles Collines to disseminate and discuss the findings of September 2010 study conducted by the organization.

The study based on perception and experience men and women involved 1311 women and 2301 men.

Eduoard Munyamaliza, the Executive Secretary told Igihe.com that most significant results on perceptions are culturally-based and are impediments to gender promotion as well as prevention GBV in Rwanda.

He said the findings of the survey revealed that some negative attitudes are still existent on the grassroots level among couples.

Over all, the study revealed that more than half (57.2%) of the women in the study have experienced GBV by their partner, with 39% of men admitting to be the aggressors.

The highest type of violence reported by women was forced sex, topping the charts at 32.4%, while only 4% of men ever admitted to committing this type of violence.

Munyamaliza noted that the reported numbers may even be lower than they should be because men are uncomfortable with admitting their specific acts.

Despite initial fears of admittances, he noted: “We have discussed the results with men in all the districts, and most agreed this is the situation that prevails.

“Fortunately, most of them were committed to do something to change this understanding.” He said adding that the overall gender attitudes of men also proved to be particularly discouraging with 57.4% of men believing that men have to dominate women while 62% agreed that women have to be submissive.

The study attributed the prevalence of GBV to a various exposures to violence in peoples environments, but the greatest common experience of violence amongst men and women was the genocide.

“80.4% of males and 79.1% of female respondents have witnessed genocide horrors and this may have caused trauma that could affect their control over emotions,” states in part.

UNDP representative Marie Francoise said that the findings of the research will be the backbone for implementation of future policy preventing GBV and that the results will not only help RWAMREC, but all actors in preventing gender-based violence.

After the launching of the findings, Munyamaliza urged young men and women to uphold cultural values that are positive and discard those that are negative because the negative ones are the basis of gender based violence.

“It does not matter whether you are rich or poor because when you adhere to gender quality values you promote a healthy family and ultimately contribute effectively to the development of the entire nation.” He stressed.