The NWC presented key achievements recorded over the past five years of its term.

Members of the National Women’s Council (NWC) have expressed satisfaction with the achievements recorded during their five-year term of office (2021–2026), as the term draws to a close. They made these remarks on 28 August 2026 during the General Assembly of the National Women’s Council at the provincial level, held at the Western Province headquarters in Karongi. The meeting brought together members of the executive committee of the National Women’s Council at the provincial and district levels, NWC coordinators at the sector level and representatives of women’s associations and cooperatives operating across the province.

In her opening remarks, the Executive Secretary of Western Province, Ms. Florence UWAMBAJEMARIYA, commended members of the National Women’s Council for their numerous and impactful activities and for their contribution to building resilient and secure families. She highlighted some of the key achievements, including supporting families to overcome poverty, empowering women through access to capital, promoting hygiene and sanitation, preventing and addressing malnutrition and stunting among children, preventing teenage pregnancies and facilitating the return to school of children who had dropped out. She urged NWC members to continue contributing to the prevention and fight against harmful behaviors within families and communities, combating drug abuse and substandard alcoholic beverages, fighting smuggling, and continuing to support families in overcoming poverty.

According to Ms. Bagirinka Vestine, Coordinator of the National Women’s Council in Western Province, diverse activities were implemented over the past five years with the aim of improving the living conditions of the population. These initiatives included training all groups established in selected villages on the use of technology and establishing new groups where possible, while encouraging existing groups to transition into cooperatives. A total of 23,195 groups reached through these awareness and capacity-building initiatives are now using technology. Awareness campaigns were also conducted among women and girls on vocational and technical education where a total of 6,568 women and girls were reached through these campaigns, while 1,728 went on to pursue vocational training.

NWC members also conducted monitoring and follow-up of children affected by malnutrition and stunting, with identified cases receiving appropriate support and recovering. They also conducted a census of children who had dropped out of school and contributed to their reintegration into the education system, including through advocacy to ensure they received the necessary school materials. As a result, 1,491 children who had dropped out of school were able to return to school.

As part of efforts to prevent teenage pregnancy and street-connectedness, as well as provide advocacy and support to adolescent girls, 107 girls benefited from advocacy and support that enabled them to pursue vocational training or return to formal education, while also receiving access to justice and psychosocial support. Families experiencing conflicts, as well as couples living together without being legally married, were engaged through dialogue aimed at addressing the challenges affecting them. Conflict-prevention campaigns reached 7,263 families. Of these, 5,200 families resolved their conflicts, while 12,178 couples subsequently formalized their unions through legal marriage.

Member of Parliament, Hon. MUZANA Alice, who served as the guest of honor at the meeting, commended members of the National Women’s Council for their performance and strong collaboration with government authorities at all levels. She also expressed appreciation to development partners for their continued support. She called on women to enhance their knowledge of the Second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) and Vision 2050 so that they can contribute effectively to their implementation and position themselves as active partners in the country’s development.

 “Women should continue to recognize and make the most of the opportunities available to them, actively contribute to the prevention and fight against drug abuse and the consumption of substandard alcoholic beverages, and refrain from consuming such products themselves.”- She said.

The meeting was held under the theme: “Let us strengthen collaboration in building a resilient and secure family, the foundation of the Rwanda we aspire to.”