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Rwanda: The Only Government in the World Dominated by Women

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Wed, 2012-01-04 10:21

Summary: 

Women have made significant advances in politics over the past few decades, with females having served as the head of state in many prominent countries, including Britain, India, Germany, Pakistan, and others.

However, males tend to outnumber females in most parliaments (democratically-elected or otherwise) around the world.

Indeed, there is only nation on earth in which females represent the majority of parliamentarians – and the identity of this state may be highly surprising.

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Read more in International Business Times


Empowering Women for Stronger Political Parties

How women participate in political parties – and how those parties encourage and nurture women’s involvement and incorporate gender-equality issues – are key determinants of women’s political empowerment. They are also key to ensuring gender-equality issues are addressed in the wider society. If strategies to promote women’s involvement in the political process are to be effective, they should be linked to steps parties can take across the specific phases of the electoral cycle – the preelectoral, electoral and post-electoral phases – and to the organization and financing of the parties themselves. 
 
The most effective strategies to increase women’s participation in political parties combine reforms to political institutions with targeted support to women party activists within and outside party structures, women candidates and elected officials. These strategies require the cooperation of a variety of actors and political parties from across the political spectrum.
 
The Guide identifies targeted interventions that political parties can take to empower women. It is structured according to four phases, following an electoral cycle approach.

Rwanda: Gender Office to Intensify Data Collection

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Wed, 2011-05-18 20:35

Summary: 

The Gender Monitoring Office (GMO) focus on implementing the use of a gender disaggregated data framework in its 2011-2013 strategic plan. The gender disaggregated data enables stakeholders to report on the gender situation in the public and private sector. It also reflects the roles, real situation and general conditions of women and men in every aspect of the society.

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For more information, please visit: allAfrica.com


Democracy With Women, For Women

This publication presents an overview and brief analysis of the first round of grants issued
by the UN Democracy Fund (UNDEF) in partnership with the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM). Both organizations are engaged in advancing gender equality and democratic governance around the world. The following pages probe, in a concise fashion, what was achieved through seven grants to improve women’s political participation in a diverse set of countries and regions.

A series of project profiles, drawn from reports and independent evaluations, summarizes objectives and activities, results, challenges, lessons and ideas for future work. Collectively and individually, the profiles shed light on effective strategies in implementing gender and governance programmes. This information may be useful for people carrying out or funding similar initiatives, or for gender advocates, governance specialists and researchers interested in a concise overview of recent experiences illustrating advancements in women’s political participation.

Since 2006, UNDEF has provided grants to strengthen democratic governance in over 100 countries. UNIFEM works with about 10 percent of UNDEF projects to inject its long-standing expertise in gender equality and governance. While all UNDEF projects contribute to realizing gender equality goals, UNIFEM puts deliberate emphasis on ensuring that women have an equal voice in all aspects of governance, peace and security and public decision-making. Globally, progress towards a gender balance in politics is being made, but the pace of change is slow, and the number of women in political offices remains low.

In 2006, the first round of UNDEF proposals awarded $36 million to 125 projects. Grant awards ranged from $50,000 to $500,000. UNIFEM assisted 10 projects in Argentina, Cambodia, Ecuador, Haiti, Morocco, Nepal, Nigeria and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Tanzania participated in a Great Lakes regional project, while Inter Press Service International implemented an Africa regional project in Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Swaziland.

Commonwealth: Happy Commonwealth Day!

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Tue, 2011-03-15 10:13

Summary: 

“Women are leaders, innovators and givers. They are scientists, teachers and nurturers. They have vision, compassion and the will to improve their communities, which, in turn, brings change on a global scale."

Meanwhile, the Queen, in her Commonwealth Day message, noted 26 million girls are born every year across the 54 member nations.

Despite all the advancements women have made and the accomplishments they’ve achieved, she suggested more could be done to ensure they play an “even larger role” in society.

“The commendable goal is to create a greater opportunity for women as children and adults to pursue their hopes and dreams, to attain their goals, and to make best use of their talents and knowledge,” she said.

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To read the complete news please visit The Gazette.


Rwanda: Women Hold Up Half the Parliament

In October 2003, women won 4. percent of seats in Rwanda’s lower house of Parliament.  Having achieved near-parity in the representation of men and women its legislature, this small African country now ranks first among all countries of the world in terms of the number of women elected to parliament. 

The dramatic gains for women are a result of specific mechanisms used to increase women’s political participation, among them a constitutional guarantee, a quota system, and innovative electoral structures. This case study will describe those mechanisms and attempt to explain their origins, focusing in particular on the relationship between women’s political representation and the organized women’s movement, significant changes in gender roles in post-genocide Rwanda, and the commitment of Rwanda’s ruling party, the RPF, to gender issues. It will also briefly introduce some of the achievements and challenges ahead for women in Rwanda’s Parliament. 

To access the document, please click here.  

Rwanda: The most gender-equal parliament in the world

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Tue, 2010-06-01 07:10

Summary: 

Consisting of more than 50 percent women, Rwanda has the most gender-equal parliament in the world. Yet, this is not mainly a result of some highly successful gender-equality strategies. Instead, the genocide in 1994 led to a shortage of males in the country, and this has opened up for women in politics. This is one conclusion reached in a new doctoral thesis from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

Women make up 56 percent of the Rwandan parliament. This means that Rwanda has a higher proportion of women in its parliament than any other country in the world. In 2003, Rwanda caught up with and surpassed previously top-ranked Sweden, and in 2008, the margin had grown even wider. The author of the new thesis, Christopher Kayumba, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, has analysed how women have managed to attain such great success in a country that suffers from poverty, lacks a tradition of gender equality and is still recovering from severe ethnic conflicts and the 1994 genocide.

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To read the complete news story please visit EurekAlert.


Rwanda: Empowering Women is Key to Development

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Wed, 2010-05-19 12:48

Summary: 

President Paul Kagame has praised Rwandan women for their role in the development of the country, adding that empowering women and ensuring gender equality were yardsticks for development.

Kagame, made the remarks, yesterday, while opening a two day International Conference on the "Role of Leadership in Promoting Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment."

"Empowering women and ensuring gender equality ultimately enriches communities and entire nations. Both historically, during our liberation struggle and even more recently, in reconstructing our country, women have contributed greatly and have been at the forefront of political, economic and reconciliation initiatives," Kagame said.

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To read the complete news story please visit AllAfrica.com


mardiko

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Submitted by mardiko on Wed, 2009-11-11 00:26

Rwanda: Angelina Muganza Elected As RAUW President

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Sat, 2009-08-29 22:00

Summary: 

Angelina Muganza, has been elected President of the Rwandan Association of University Women's (RAUW) General Assembly. In a statement made shortly after the elections, Muganza said that she looks forward to improving on the work that RAUW does, particularly in the development of gender equality in the country.

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For more informations, please visit allafrica.com