CEDAW/C/SR.37 English Page 6 (Ms. Baziyaka, Rwanda) deserted their family and a husband wl:n evaded his responsibilities in respect of cohabitation, assistarx:::e to and care of his wife when she needed it. For example, the Criminal Code established that the husband who, without serious grounds, voluntarily deserted his wife for more than two months, knowing that she was pregnant, would be liable to imprisonment for a peri<Xi of from three months to two years or a fine of from 2,000 to 20,000 Rwanda francs. 19. The legislator had also prescribed different treatment for women in the case of adultery and abortion. In 1':>77 the legislator had treated men and women equally in respect of the elements which constituted adultery. However, under the new Criminal Code, women could be sentenced to prison for a period of from one month to one year, while in the case of men the punishment was from one month's to six months' imprisonment or a fine of 1,000 Rwanda francs. The legislator justified the difference on the grounds of the sociological consequences, which were more serious when adultery was committed by the wife. The Criminal Code severely punished abortion, imposing penalties of from two to five years' imprisonment on women who voluntarily procured an abortion or used means of abortion. Furthermore, it punished the advertising of means of abortion. However, owing to the national demographic policy and with a view to maintaining a balarx:::e between the available resources and the growth of the population, the annual rate of which was 3.7 per cent, the situation had evolved and the advertising of contraceptives was no longer considered an offence. 20. The Rwandese Civil Code was beiny drafted, and until it was approved, the courts would continue to apply the colonial legislation, in other words, the Belgian Code, a slightly modified version of the Napoleonic COde. As to women's political rights, the National Revolutionary z.nvement for Develcpment, which was the sole party in power, constituted the framework within which all political activities were exercised. Its Manifesto placed women in a favourable position and established, among other things, that harmony and the family's well-being required respect for the principle of equality between men and women. The z.nvement promoted the emancipation of women while ensuring respect for family ties. The development of women's personality had to be strengthened through their access to education and to professional, social, economic and political responsibilities. Any activity designed to prepare women for the full exercise of democratic freedoms would be encouraged and supported. The emancipation of women was expected to give new impetus to national develq>ment. 21. The President of the Rwandese Republic, Major-Gereral Juvenal Habyarimana, had frequently drawn attention to the Goverrunent 's efforts to promote the .advarx::ement of women and their integration in the country's development. In that context, the National Revolutionary Movement for Develcpment envisaged the fourrling of a national organization of Rwandese women with a view to mobilizing and preparing them so that they could assume their obligations and enjoy their rights in all areas of life on an equal footing with men. Pwarx.lese women were present, although still underrepresented, in the executive, legislative and judicial branches. There was a woman member of the Central Committee of the Movement, and 9 of the 68 members of the National Council for Develcpment were women. In the first legislature, which had concluded its work at the end of 1~83, there had been only 4 women out of a total of 64 deputies. About 10 women occupied posts as directors in I . ..