The government of Rwanda has demonstrated political
commitment at the highest level of leadership in pursuit of its
goal of promoting gender equality in democratic governance and
political decision -making. This commitment by the RPA
government, which came to power in the elections following the
1994 genocide, is to transform Rwanda into a peaceful and
prosperous country where the rule of law and human rights are
respected.
The participation of Rwandan women in post-genocide
peacebuilding and reconstruction at the national, local and
community levels has had a significant impact leading to major
outcomes such as the enacting of a gender-sensitive constitution,
the highest representation of women in parliament of any
government in the world, and public sector reforms.
The role of key players such as the Ministry of Gender and
Women Promotion, National Women Councils, Forum of Rwandan
Women Parliamentarians and the Women’s ’ Civi l Society
Movement , combined with substantial resource flows from donors ,
has been instrumental in generating momentum for Rwanda’s
progressive gender equality platform .
Important lessons from the Rwandan experience are numerous:
— The need to turn politic al commitment into action; concrete
measures have to be undertaken to turn political will into
tangible results
— The importance of building and strengthening partnerships
between government and civil society , and men and women
— The need to full y involve grassroots women’s ’ groups in order
to reinforce a sense of community ownership.
— The importance of harnessing positive cultural values that
promote gender equality
— The importance of building the capacity of institutions and
persons to spearhead gender mains treaming to ensure
sustainable gender equality
— The importance of continuous support and political
commitment in order to strengthen women’s participation in
political decision-making
— The need for continuous multiple strategies using all available
channels , such as educational institutions and media , to raise
awareness and combat resistance to change.