Influence of Culture on Women’s Public Speaking Skills in Rwanda: Case Study of Rwanda Women Parliamentarians

Abstract

In Rwanda, the disparity between females and males can be seen in different aspects of life, including their communication skills. The Rwandan culture has been one that constrains women to perform house and babysitting tasks, which lowers their expectations to speak out in public gatherings. In fact, this cultural impact can be traced back even further, because many girls were not given opportunities to go to school; lowering their ability, confidence and acceptability to speak out in public.  The objectives of this study are: to examine the influence of cultural beliefs on women’s public speaking skills in Rwanda; to determine the influence of language on women’s public speaking skills in Rwanda; to establish the influence of cultural taboos on women’s public speaking skills in Rwanda and to analyze the influence of cultural values on women’s public speaking skills in Rwanda. During this study, researcher was used census method. The respondent of this research is all women members of Rwanda parliament.  In order to get all necessary information researchers was used questionnaire and interview technique as data instruments tools. On analyzing data researcher was used Statistical package for social science (SPSS). The results shows that 90.2% of respondents said that men they don’t have a right to control and discipline women through physical means makes women vulnerable to violence by intimate partners and 100% of respondents shows that Rwanda culture allow women to possess their own property. Language on women’s influences public speaking Skills in Rwanda. Most of time the women like to use question tag when they need to speak is public, all respondents are strongly agree and agree. 100% respondent shows that Women must be polite and respectful to the men. In order to continue influencing culture on women’s public speaking, researcher is recommend to the government to Continue to implement of international conventions and declarations in the field of culture in line with other human rights instruments and in respect of gender equality and diversity and Continue Reinforcement the culture of public speaking of women in different region in Rwanda.

Keywords: Culture, women’s and public speaking