Rwanda’s gender equality an example to global parliaments

Parliament of Rwanda to host the 145th IPU assembly

Rwanda will host the 145^th Inter-parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly from October 11 to 15. The meeting is expecting more than 1,200 delegates, including 60 Speakers and Deputy Speakers of 178 national Parliaments that make up the current IPU membership.

Gender parity in parliaments will be among the key discussions as the global proportion of women parliamentarians is low, 26.1 percent by January 2022, despite its increase annually.

The assembly seeks to overcome patriarchy in parliament and increase women MPs in order to deliver on women’s rights and participate in decision making.

Globally, women are vulnerable to gender based violence, slavery, harassment, intimidation and discrimination. In some countries largely in the Middle East and North Africa – where there is the lowest representation of women Parliament worldwide – women have no rights to vote, own property, be educated, as well as earn a fair and equal pay as men.

There is a connection between strong democracies and gender equality in parliaments. It is within this context that the Assembly will be held under the theme “Gender equality and gender-sensitive parliaments as drivers of change for a more resilient and peaceful world.”

Gender inequality in parliament, is an issue Rwanda tackled since the establishment of a new government after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Gender equality was at the heart of the country’s leadership to build an inclusive nation with women and girls participating equally in all aspects of the country’s life. To achieve that, the Rwandan Constitution stipulates that women should occupy at least 30 per cent decision making positions.

In 2008, the Rwandan Chamber of Deputies was the first elected national parliament with more women than men, in the world.

Promoting gender equality in Rwanda unlocked women’s potential in society, provided them the opportunity to gain experience, and confidence to participate in both public and political spheres. This led to their success in parliamentary elections.

The 2021 IPU’s report indicates that Rwanda tops the world with the highest number of women in Parliament,   61.3 per cent women MPs, above the current global average of 26.4 per cent.

Followed by Cuba and Nicaragua, with 53.4 and 50.6 per cent respectively. The organization also reveals that Rwanda has a relatively young parliament, with half of its deputies under the age of 45.

Rwanda has been at the top of the IPU’s monthly ranking of women in national parliaments for years. The country falls well in IPU’s agenda of promoting parliamentary democracy, empowering gender equality and youth participation in parliament and protecting human rights among others.

Alongside gender equality, the five-day assembly and related meetings will discuss on the contribution of parliaments to address the global issues which includes human trafficking, wars and terrorism, human rights abuses, climate change, global food insecurity, as well as the international migration problem.

IPU convenes parliamentary delegates and partners in a world assembly twice a year.  The 144^th Assembly was hosted by Indonesia in March 2022 while the 146^th will be hosted by Bahrain in March 2023.