Life in Burundi On International Women's Day

"She should stay at home and take care of household chores" is a phrase I was familiar with as a child.

(Jeanne Bitsure works with the women peacemaker programme for Women and Allies Peacebuilders Network in Burundi. She is also a member of the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders)

When the school system was introduced in Burundi, only boys were allowed to attend. To a certain extent, this attitude still exists today. People say "no education for girls" in order to emphasise that the role of girls is elsewhere.

However, in my lifetime, mentality and practices have changed – Burundians now understand the importance of education, for children as well as for the development. Programmes and political agendas to promote equal access to education for girls and boys have been put in place. Despite this positive development, challenges remain, including those related to keeping girls in school until graduation (the dropout rate is very high) and the continued belief of some Burundians

that education should be focused on boys rather than girls.

Another big change has been the inclusion of women in politics. Much like in other African countries, the culture and political environment was long exclusively a space for men. But recently women have entered the political arena and made remarkable progress. This has also been supported by the dynamic women's movement that has mobilised women and even been able to influence laws.

A 30% quota system was included in the constitution and was specifically applied in the 2005 and 2009 electoral codes that significantly impacted women's participation in parliament. If the pattern continues, it would be a significant accomplishment for women in Burundi.

source:Article History Guardian