Ngororero District, Rwanda – March 8, 2025 – Rwanda joined the global community in commemorating International Women’s Day with a national celebration held in Ngororero District. The event, themed “Empowered Women, Stronger Nation” and “Umugore ni uw’agaciro” in Kinyarwanda, highlighted the nation's unwavering commitment to gender equality and women's empowerment.

Speaking at the event Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Right Honorable Kazarwa Gertrude praised the Rwandan Government's significant strides in empowering women. She underscored the importance of women leveraging available resources, particularly the Business Development Fund (BDF) loans, which offer women preferential terms, including a 50% repayment rate and called men and boys to support in this development.

“Men, our brothers, support your wives and build strong families together,” stated Right Honorable Kazarwa Gertrude. “Women and men, we commend your collective contributions to our nation. Continue to collaborate across all sectors, economic, governance, and social, to drive progress.”

Nyirajyambere Belancille, President of the National Women’s Council, further inspired women to transcend societal limitations and embrace their full potential. 

Tangible Support for Women and Families

This year’s celebration featured practical initiatives aimed at directly supporting women and families in need. In collaboration with various partners, the event facilitated the distribution of essential resources, including 10 cows, 268 goats 1,700 chickens, 107 modern and environmental friendly cooking stoves, 76 water tanks.

These contributions exemplify Rwanda’s commitment to translating the principles of gender equality into tangible support, reinforcing the notion that empowerment requires concrete action.

The 50th anniversary of International Women’s Day in Rwanda was observed across all districts, demonstrating the nation’s dedication to sustained progress in gender equality. These events collectively reinforced the message that empowerment is a shared responsibility and that the prosperity of the nation is intrinsically linked to the well-being and advancement of its women.