Minister Uwimana Challenges Cultural Excuses for Avoiding Legal Marriage

Speaking at the close of Family Week in Nyamasheke District, Uwimana said many men still cite poverty, high bride prices, or doubts about a partner’s character as reasons to delay official unions. She dismissed those justifications as outdated.

“Marriage before the law is not about wealth or luxury. It is about love, responsibility, and protecting your children,” Uwimana said. “Excuses about bride price or trial living arrangements only put families at risk of instability.”

The annual Family Week campaign, held under the theme “Building a Resilient and Safe Family,” seeks to address challenges affecting households, including domestic violence, teenage pregnancies, malnutrition, drug abuse, and unregistered unions.

During the week-long activities in Ruharambuga Sector, residents received health screenings, nutrition support for children, and services for gender-based violence survivors. Twenty-two couples who had been cohabiting were formally married at a mass wedding.

Uwimana emphasized that Rwanda’s 2024 Family Law allows couples to marry even when bride price has not been paid, countering one of the most common barriers cited by men. She cautioned against so-called “trial marriages,” which she said often lead to neglected children and broken families.

“The true preparation for marriage is not a big ceremony but taking time to know each other and planning for the family you want to build,” she said.

The minister praised the couples who legalized their unions, calling their decision a model for others and “a strong step toward safeguarding dignity and building stronger families.”