1. Advocacy and Empowerment Programme
The Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians Rwanda aims at empowering women from the grass roots level and advocacy on behalf of voiceless especially the victim of GBV. CIRCLE joined the world to fight gender based violence especially during the 16 days of activism. The following activities have been implemented
Couples Seminarin the Anglican Church of Rwanda (EAR) Ndera parish
On 25th December 2023, the Circlet Rwanda organized a seminar of couples in collaboration with the Anglican Church of Rwanda (EAR) Ndera parish and 55 participants attended the seminar. The focus of the seminar was on how GBV affects Christian families. After the presentation of the topic, participants had group discussions. During their discussions, it was realized that: family conflicts related to poverty, lack of sexual satisfaction, lack of respect among the couples, lack of tolerance and communication, infidelity and lack of transparency among the couples are the major causes of GBV. GBV is real and visible in many Christian families said the by the participants. The major reason of GBV is due to lack of power sharing among the couples this is the result of patriarchy system that give power to male. Many decisions are made by the husband alone while the wife is excluded. These decisions include economic or financial means and sexual intercourse among the couples are taken by the husband alone. Women feel raped when sexual intercourse is done without consent of the woman.
GBV affects the entire family but particularly women and children because when the wife is abused she felt hurt and she end up abuse her children, hence, it become a circle of violence.
Female pastors and pastor’s spouses Workshop
The Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians Rwanda organized a workshop that held on 6th December 2023 in Gasabo District in Kigali city. 40 female pastors and pastors’ spouses were trained on the role of church in addressing GBV. Since participants were involved in the ministry, it was important to identify violence related to pastoral ministry. It was mentioned that pastors wives face violence from their husbands and from some of their parish members. They said that they remain silence when facing violence as they want to protect their husbands’ |ministry. However, their most vulnerable in Church, no one who can listen to them. They feel not cared by their husbands, hence they suffer in their inner being.
The trainer also emphasis on what is GBV especially domestic violence, causes and effects of GBV and the role of the church in addressing GBV. Some causes of GBV included inequality between men and women. Inequality is not God given but social construction where men and women do not share opportunities. Another cause of GBV is the culture of patriarchy that give more power to men and women become powerless. In that culture, women suffer violence due to lack of decision in their families, they depend on the husbands and sometimes they were considered to be like objects and men’s properties.
During the training, it was realized that GBV affect not only the physical being but the emotional, cognitive and the spiritual being. Women who face violence are mentally affected and traumatized. Furthermore, female pastors are also affected by GBV in their ministry due to the culture and perception that see a woman as weak person. So, some female pastors are not easily accepted in their churches and communities. Female pastors are only accepted due their performance, hence they work hard for their families as house wives and the ministry as pastors in order to be accepted. This double works create pressure and stress to the female pastors. Female pastors also face GBV from their husbands because they see leadership position of their wives to be a threat. This is perception is influenced by Rwandan culture that consider women power as negative thing.