Godeliève Mukasarasi Quotes

We have been demanding a special fund for these children and their mothers, but so far, the government remains stubborn.

We must learn how to live positively with the bad and good.

Everyone still lives with the consequences. Some of the perpetrators went to jail, but they come back and live close to the survivors. The genocide is not over; the survivors are still living with those who committed the crimes.

We also want to encourage them to tell their children the truth. Doing so is hard, but it helps the women to really opt for life, including the life of their child.

We were proud because we had an impact, not only nationally but on the international scale, as well.

Many women do not even know that children have rights. Moreover, there is time for singing, dancing and praying.

I wanted the widows and orphans, as well as other distressed people, to adjust. I wanted them to restart their shattered and broken lives and work toward peace and the development of our country.

In 1998, women’s rights activists like us managed to make sure that the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda considers rape in war a genocidal crime, so those who planned and perpetrated such violence can be prosecuted.

We feel we are the ones who are able to speak out and…to be a voice for them.

Rwandan women have played a big role to make sure that sexual violence in conflict became known as a crime against humanity, for us to be in the U.N. is a way of recognizing the hard work and what we have done.

In general, the women did not speak about rape because of shame as well as fear of becoming marginalized or someone taking revenge.

It's very important to work with these women because they have undergone many atrocities during the genocide, and like other women and other humans, they have a right to live.

My work will never be done, Even when I die, there must be others to continue this work.

The women’s daily life is marked by worries and difficulties, so we need to reduce stress levels. And we teach them a simple and soothing massage method they can always apply themselves.

There is role play, which helps to better understand their situation and solve current problems.