Women use radio to build better governance in Burundi

After 12 years of civil war in Burundi, the challenge is to keep addressing the divisive factors that drove the country's brutal armed conflict, while finding ways to nurture the country's fragile democracy. An UNDEF funded initiative trains women to take up leadership positions, and thus improve governance in the country as a whole. The project, implemented by Search for Common Ground, just launched a new radio series specifically for and about women leaders in the public and private sector. The first programme in the series, entitled Umwanya Ni Rwawe, or It’s Your Time, It’s Your Opportunity, polled listeners on their views of women's representation in different institutions. Those interviewed noted a positive trend for elected posts such as parliamentarians, but less so for senior appointed officials and executives. The overall project works to give newly elected and appointed leaders the tools to play a genuine and active role in governance and concrete social change.