It's International Women Day, the whole World is talking about the celebration of women, equal rights , health & reproductive rights, gender rights, etc. It all sound well done, but in many places like where I come from, Burundi and Africa Great Lakes, we have a long way to go when come to Women equals rights.
Today I choose to this special day for Women to dedicate it to Batwa Women and girls from Burundi.
Who are Batwa Women and girls?
They are women like me, who happen to come from an other ethnic group, the Batwa(Pgymees) Indigenous which are heavily marginalised. Many of those women suffer from decades of multiple forms of disadvantage and discrimination.
Today I want you to know what Batwa women and girls are going through everyday in country where Law favorize only men.
I want the World to know that Batwa women and girls are discriminated against for being Batwa and experience gender discrimination as majority of women do. Can you imagine the trauma they go through everyday by being everyday sexually abused simple because of this particular Myth of having Sex with Batwa Women and girls cure a backache and HIV and AIDS .This lead to Batwa women and girls being raped by men from others communities and even from Batwa Men. I remember asking the question about how to treat HIV during my visit to Batwa communities while I was giving education on HIV and AIDS. Some men reponded that "Our Mutwa women are the cure". That moment i knew they needed to hear my story and see my medication. That is a small part of a country I have managed to reach.
We have so many organizations working for Humans rights, Gender Equality and Women rights if I am not mistaken. Are they aware of this situation? While celebrating International Women Day I would like to invite every women to take a minute and sympatize with our indigenous Batwa women and girls from Burundi, Congo, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania.
Happy women's Day!
Peace ,
Eliane
