Taking action: achieving gender equality and empowering women

Making it happen
149
Box 12.4
Rwanda: a national
commitment to
gender equality
(continued)
The Ministry for Gender and Women in Development and women’s organizations actively
participated to mainstream gender concerns in the country’s Poverty Reduction Strategy
Paper. External evaluations note that Rwanda’s Poverty Reduction Strategy is one of the
best on gender equality issues. Budgetary expenditures prioritize activities that address
gender inequalities, and all sector expenditures incorporate Ministry of Gender inputs.
Women’s organizations have been critical in creating an enabling environment for
promoting women’s empowerment and gender mainstreaming in the aftermath of the
genocide. Through organizing, networking, and lobbying together, women’s organizations
have helped to bring about the changes described above. At the national level, Collectif
ProFemmes/Twese Hamwe brings together more than 40 women’s organizations that promote
a culture of peace and remembrance, protect widows and the displaced, promote
the legal rights of widows and children, and fight violence against women and girls. At the
local level, with the support of national and international development partners, women’s
organizations are implementing a range of economic development activities.
Gender equality indicators for Rwanda, 1990 and 2000
Indicator 1990 2000
Education
Girls’ to boys’ gross enrollment ratio, primary 0.98 0.99
Girls’ to boys’ completion rate, primary 1.07 0.92
Girls’ to boys’ gross enrollment ratio, secondary 0.76 0.98
Sexual and reproductive rights and health
Maternal mortality ratio (per 100,000 live births) 1,300 950 a
Unmet need for contraception 38.8 35.6
Fertility rate 7.1 5.7
Women as a share of those living with HIV/AIDS b (percent) 48.6 56.5
Births attended by skilled health staff 25.8 31.3 c
Political and economic opportunity
Share of women-held seats in national parliament (percent) 17 39.4 a
Share of women in labor force (percent) 49 49 a
a. Data are for 2003.
b. Data are for 1997 and 2003.
c. Data are for 2001.
Source: UNESCO 2004; UN 2004a; World Bank 2004b, 2004f; UNAIDS 2004; ORC-Macro 2004; IPU 2004.
Despite enormous economic development challenges, Rwanda’s gender indicators are
above regional averages (see table). Although the absolute rates of secondary education
are very low for both boys and girls, the gender gap at this level has closed rapidly between
1990 and 2000, and the country is on its way to achieve gender parity in both primary and
secondary education in 2005.
The country’s fertility rate has been declining steadily. Births attended by skilled
health staff have increased, and the unmet need for contraception has declined for both
adolescents and adult women.