Religions to unite couples of different affiliations

People from deferent religions and denominations have been called to work together  upon playing a role that will  change the concept of men and women  towards main goals and avoid differences that can negatively impact families.


Religious leaders in the training



The role of religions was clearly seen in the 1994 genocide that annihilated Tutsis where churches did not only teach people to respect God but changed peoples thinking towards sin and crimes.

Some pastors and priests called upon people to kill people which they did and people have a tendency to trust their church leaders and confess to certain crimes to their church leaders a thing they cannot tell anyone else.

The government is aware of the strength and influence the churches have to their congregations, the reason the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF) decided to promote their policies through churches especially in eradicating domestic violence in families.

In the training for this ministry and religious leaders in Rwanda that was on Wednesday the 6th.March.2013, Hon. Oda Gasinzigwa a minister in MIGEPROF said they can develop the concept of Gender and promote families if they work together.

“A family is made up of Rwandans both men and women and those family members are church affiliates. Religion is therefore the basis that should work with these family members to develop the concept of gender balance.”

“Gender balance is development; it is the understanding that gives value to both men and women” the minister explained.

The main limitation to family promotion is concubinage yet some religions support it. Though there is a difference with the religions’ beliefs and the constitution, religions can support the government in different ways.

For religions, religious beliefs should not cloud the judgment of people living together but they should instead use their religious beliefs to be patient with each other as Bishop Augustine Mvunabandi from Kigeme Diocese explained.

“when a person truly believes in God, it cannot create misunderstandings with the spouse, those who fight have not yet reached at the desired level of believing and trusting the Lord” says the Bishop.

This training expects the religious leaders to teach their congregation to respect and love their spouses even if they are from different religions and to work towards the development of their family instead.