Women Participation in Politics, Leadership, and Gender Equality: A Lesson of Rwandan Success Story
AshEse Journal of Economics
Vol. 4(3), pp. 252-264, October, 2018
ISSN 2396-8966
© 2018 AshEse Visionary Limited
Review
Women Participation in Politics, Leadership, and Gender Equality: A Lesson of Rwandan Success Story
Olivier Habimana
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China No. 2006, Xiyuan Ave, West Hi-Tech Zone 611731, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
*Corresponding Author. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Received September, 2018; Accepted October, 2018.
Abstract
Since 2004, Rwanda has the highest women representation in parliament than any other country in the world; it has been ranked first country to promote women in politics, leadership and gender equality for more than twelve consecutive years. Rwandan traditional culture considers women to have good critical thinking, decision making and be a good adviser as the Queen mother played remarkable role in ruling the kingdom/managing palace before colonization. During colonization period, women perspective was changed by colonizers but later after genocide of 1994 against Tutsi which took more than one million lives of Tutsi within 100 days; many people were killed particular men, others fled the country and women made up 70 per cent of remaining population who were supposed to make effort and show their potential to rebuild the country. The paper stresses on how government of Rwanda managed to be the first country in the world for having highest number of women in parliament, which ways were used; and challenges women face in politics.
Key words: Women and Politics, Gender Equality, Leadership, Rwanda