Burundi First Lady releases song on infertility, gender violence
Burundi’s first lady Denise Nkurunziza has now joined the singing world with her release of a song raising awareness on violence against women.
The song titled Umukenyezi Arengeye Kuvyara Gusa (A Woman is More than Just Giving Birth), urges men in her country to desist from abusing women when couples fail to get pregnant.
The four minute song and video shared on social media shows the first lady playing the role of a counselor to a man who is shown physically and verbally abusing his wife for failing to bear him a child.
The First Lady who has been married to President Pierre Nkurunziza since 1994, called on husbands to fully support their wives.
“Women are not created just to be called mothers. They are capable of much more,” the first lady sings in the chorus.
She also emphasises in the song that infertility affects both men and women and that only through a medical examination can the truth about one’s fertility or lack thereof be established.
“Fertility involves two people and infertility should not be a source of conflict,” she sings.
Pierre and Denise have five children together and have adopted several others and frequently preach together as Denise is an ordained pastor and has been featured on several religious tracks.
The Burundian first lady has won praise from many on social media for the message in her music video, though even as some were quick to point out that men too face abuse from their spouses.
In September, Denise was awarded as a woman who has positively influenced the Burundian society and who is an actor of change through her foundation “Buntu”.