The domino effect in investing in women: a case of Rwanda

As we gear towards the celebration of International Women’s Day, Rwanda has a lot to celebrate in its women, the exceptional forerunners of the country’s transformational journey. 

Rwanda is globally celebrated for being at the forefront of empowering women in all spheres of national life. This did not just happen. There were targeted and deliberate interventions. And the catalysts include good politics and reforms in legal and policy frameworks.

Subsequently, in Rwanda, women who just a few decades back were confined to subservience in their homes, emerged as a symbol of prosperity.

In 2020, speaking at the high level meeting on gender equality and women’s empowerment in Africa, President Paul Kagame confirmed that we get better results when we invest in our women. He said: “Female investors have been found to get higher returns, so we all get better result by investing in women.”

Rwandan women, in the past, were faced with troublesome social injustices from gender inequalities. These problems were weighty not only on women but also to the nation because, sidelining them means sidelining more than half of the population.

Something had to be done; narrowing the gender gaps and inequality by both commitment and actions. 

In recent decades, owing to the leadership's commitment and tangible action, Rwanda made great strides in empowering women and girls.

Good politics, and legal reforms assured equal rights and opportunities between men and women. The right policy frameworks helped speed up the progress.

Women empowerment in Rwanda can be measured in the upgraded social status of women and in their role and responsibility in national development. To date Rwanda, is the country with the most women in decision making positions in the world. 

It started with the liberation struggle

This happened due to deliberate strategic moves traced back to the liberation struggle championed by the Rwanda Patriotic Front where women had a central role.

Kagame was once asked by Prime Minister Eduard Heger of Slovakia about the key to Rwanda’s gains towards gender equality.

In response, Kagame said: “For us, it started with the liberation struggle.  We always believed our role is to make sure we remove all impediments to women playing the role they want to play.”

Close to three decades later, Rwanda is a global trailblazer of what can be done in addressing gender inequality and achievement gender equality and women empowerment. 

Rwanda remains among the best places to be born a girl in the World, with 61.4% of legislators being women. It is the first country in the world with a female majority in parliament. The same applies in the government, where women occupy more cabinet positions than male colleagues.

While Rwanda is a standard of gender equality because of the high rates of women in the economy and politics, the country carries on with its sensitization campaign of women to tap into the existing opportunities for growth and development so as to effectively contribute to the government efforts in women empowerment.

To sustain the efforts, the government invested in science and technology schemes including deliberate efforts to encourage girls to pursue science and other STEM subjects. Special scholarships for girls, financial incentives towards women in business and many other important initiatives are on the list.

The development of women is an entire nation’s development.

Happy International Women’s Day!