Frank Namara And Ignatius Ssuuna
15 September 2007
Kigali — Appeals for involving women in economic transformation of developing countries dominated yesterday's one-day workshop on Gender and Enterprise Development.Opening the regional workshop at Novetel Hotel Umubano, the First Lady Mrs Jeannette Kagame remarked that empowering women financially boosts development in countries.Mrs Kagame said that increasing women's ability to contribute to economic growth is crucial in helping the nations develop since they (women) play great role to sustain their families.
"All winning nations involve women their developmental policies. But we need to educate, employ and advance credits to them," Mrs Kagame, who the initiated the programme, said.
The workshop was organised by International Finance Corporation (IFC), Centre for Support of Small and Medium Enterprises in Rwanda (CAPMER) and Rwanda Private Sector Federation (PSF).
Mrs Kagame said the government is committed to support private women entrepreneur in an effort to improve the standards of living in families.
"When women are supported, it means that you have empowered all the people because they the make the biggest percentage of the population," she remarked
The IFC Country Manager, Jean Philippe Prosper, said supporting women entrepreneurs in the world is very crucial because they play a leading role in rebuilding the nations.
"One of the IFC objectives is to narrow the gap between women and men business entrepreneurs in Rwanda. We need to treat them equally," Prosper said
Prosper said women qualify for credits because they are typically among the most trusted members of society.
He said that yesterday's meeting would be used as needs assessment strategy to help IFC know what the Rwandan women lack.
The World Bank Country Manager, Victoria Kwakwa, said women had been marginalised for so long and it is time African leaders brought them onboard.
IFC also operates in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.
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