This study examines the determinants of women’s empowerment in Rwanda using data
obtained from DHS 2010. A regression analysis is used to investigate the association
between women’s empowerment and its covariates. The study also uses a multinomial
logistic regression to assess what determines households’ decision-making and attitudes
towards physical abuse of spouses. Variables of sources of empowerment such as education
and media exposure were found to have a net positive association with women’s
empowerment while other variables such as residence and the age at first marriage were
negatively associated with women’s empowerment. Further analysis showed that the effects
of education, age of the respondent, wealth and the number of children ever born remained
strong conditions which effected households’ decision-making and attitudes about physical
abuse. In general, therefore, it seems that for women to fully realize their potential and rights,
specific emphasis should be put on variables that increase their access to resources and
knowledge such as education, employment for cash and media exposure but variables that
are negatively associated with women’s empowerment such as higher age at first marriage
should also be taken into account.