Every year, March 8 marks the International Women’s Rights Day. Celebrated since 1910 under various themes, it aims to highlight the fight for gender equality and women’s rights. However, in Burundi, this day gives rise to divergent interpretations. While some women consider March 8 as an opportunity to reflect on the progress and challenges in women’s rights, others see it above all as a day of celebration. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

Between official ceremonies, festive outings and publications on social media, this day takes on different meanings, depending on the sensitivities and levels of understanding of the issues.

A growing awareness

For some Burundian women, particularly the most educated, March 8 is an opportunity to take stock of the fight for equality.

« This day should allow us to evaluate the work accomplished, listen to demands and reflect on future actions, » explains a human rights activist.

Through conferences, debates and meetings, they hope that this date will be a moment of awareness and mobilization for women’s rights.

This year’s theme in Burundi, « Women, pillars of development. Let’s support them to achieve the 2040-2060 vision », also highlights the importance of a collective commitment to promote women’s emancipation and gender equality.
The 2040-2060 vision consists of making Burundi an emerging and developed country, successively.

Between festivities and excesses

However, another segment of the population perceives March 8 differently.

Some women take advantage of this day to organize festivities, wear loincloths with the event’s motifs or share messages of wishes on WhatsApp messaging.

« Many people just post pictures of their mothers, sisters or friends wishing them a ‘happy women’s day’, but without really understanding the historical significance of the day, » regrets one activist.

Others still take the opportunity to go out late, meet up with friends and enjoy a moment of relaxation, sometimes marked by excess.

« It’s a shame, because instead of saluting the courage and commitment of women who fight for their rights, some turn this day into a simple celebration, » deplores another women’s rights activist.

A need to harmonize the understanding of March 8

If this divergence of interpretation persists, it highlights an urgent need to raise awareness about the true meaning of March 8. In Bujumbura, the commercial city where all the United Nations agencies and the central administration are concentrated, as elsewhere, some people even choose to avoid going out on this day, fearing behavior deemed « inappropriate ».

For International Women’s Day to play its full role in Burundi, it is essential to achieve a common understanding of its importance. This is the price the country will have to pay to truly advance its vision of inclusive and equitable development, where women occupy a central place.