Experts of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Commend Rwanda’s Majority Female Parliament, Ask about Efforts to Support Trafficking Victims and Promote Girls’ Right to Education

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today concluded its consideration of the tenth periodic report of Rwanda, with Committee Experts congratulating the State on its high percentage of female parliamentarians and asking about efforts to support victims of human trafficking and promote girls’ right to education.

Several Committee Experts congratulated the State party on its governance model and the high percentage of female parliamentarians in Rwanda. Brenda Akia, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Rwanda, said Rwanda was a champion of gender equality.

However, one Expert noted that male-dominated structures remained. Men occupied more than two-thirds of senior positions in Rwanda. What measures were in place to address practical and structural barriers faced by women? Were voluntary quotas implemented by the private sector to achieve gender equality?

A Committee Expert asked how the State party was working to protect refugees and asylum seekers from traffickers. There were issues with identifying trafficking in internal areas. How would the State party strengthen measures for identifying victims internally? The State party was required to cover the costs of repatriation of Rwandans overseas but lacked sufficient officials abroad to support trafficking victims. How would it increase support for Rwandan trafficking victims abroad?

Another Committee Expert said 65 per cent of women and girls did not receive a full education. In rural areas, it was twice as likely for residents to not be educated compared to urban areas. How was the State party making the right to education a reality in Rwanda, particularly in rural areas? Girls were more likely to drop out of school. What was the State party doing to support girls during menstruation periods? How was the State party supporting schoolgirls who fell pregnant?

Introducing the report, Valentine Uwamariya, Minister of Gender and Family Promotion of Rwanda and head of the delegation, said Rwanda led globally in female representation in decision-making roles, with women making up 61.3 per cent of Parliament, 42.5 per cent of cabinet members and 30 per cent of mayors in local governments.

Nineteen companies were certified this month in the Gender Equality Seal programme, Ms. Uwamariya said, which awarded companies that promoted gender equality in the workplace. There had been a marked improvement in financial inclusion since 2019, with women’s access to financial products increasing by 11 per cent. The State party was working to mobilise the private sector in gender mainstreaming efforts. The State party was training women to participate in male-dominated sectors such as mining and encouraging women to receive education in science, technology, engineering and maths subjects.

The delegation said there were clear laws and policies regarding the fight against human trafficking. Rwanda was committed to combatting trafficking by engaging with other countries. The partnership with the United Kingdom was a solution for persons at risk of becoming victims of trafficking on their journey to Europe. Rwanda was always ready to provide a safe environment to women and girls at risk. Asylum seekers benefitted from programmes supporting access to State services.

Ms. Uwamariya said the Government had implemented various measures to ensure equal access to education, including school feeding programmes and gender-friendly school environments. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government had constructed 650 new schools. Short-term training was provided to teenage mothers who could not rejoin formal education to support their inclusion in society and access to employment. All schools were required to have a “girls’ room” that had sanitary pads and mentors on reproductive health, with whom girls could make complaints of harassment.

In her concluding remarks, Ms. Uwamariya thanked the Committee for the dialogue, which had been an opportunity to discuss the gaps where further efforts were needed to implement the Convention. The Committee’s concluding observations would be considered and implemented. Rwanda aimed to promote the equal rights of all and leave no groups behind.

In closing remarks, Esther Eghobamien-Mshelia, Committee Vice-Chair, thanked the delegation for the dialogue, which had provided further insight into the situation of women in Rwanda. The Committee commended the State party for its efforts and encouraged it to take all necessary measures to implement the Committee’s recommendations for the benefit of all women and girls in the country.

The delegation of Rwanda consisted of representatives of the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion; Senior State Attorney International Justice and Judicial Cooperation; and the Permanent Mission of Rwanda to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

The Committee will issue the concluding observations on the report of Rwanda at the end of its eighty-eighth session on 31 May. All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Meeting summary releases can be found here. The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.

The Committee will next meet at 5 p.m. on Friday, 31 May to close its eighty-eighth session.

Report

The Committee has before it the tenth periodic report of Rwanda (CEDAW/C/RWA/10).

Presentation of Report

VALENTINE UWAMARIYA, Minister of Gender and Family Promotion of Rwanda and

head of the delegation, affirmed Rwanda’s unwavering commitment to implementing the provisions of the Convention. Rwanda’s journey toward gender equality had been shaped by its tragic history. After the genocide of the Tutsi, the State party lost over one million of its population. Women contributed to the reparation of the country, in spite of negative stereotypes pushing back against them.

Promoting gender equality was not only a matter of justice but a strategic imperative for promoting sustainable development. The State party had adopted policies which empowered women and promoted their participation in decision-making roles. It had established a 30 per cent quota for women’s representation in Government positions. This quota system had been instrumental in increasing the participation of women in politics and governance. Rwanda established the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion, the Gender Monitoring Office, the National Women’s Council and the Forum of Parliamentarian Women to steer the advancement needed and ensure its sustainability.

Rwanda led globally in female representation in decision-making roles, with women making up 61.3 per cent of Parliament, 42.5 per cent of cabinet members and 30 per cent of mayors in local governments. Economically, women were contributing to their own empowerment with 92 per cent of women financially included, compared to 93 per cent of men.

Rwanda prioritised gender equality in education, work and other sectors. It had extended parental leave and amended the Criminal Code to prevent spousal sexual assault. There was gender consideration in public sector recruitment. Agriculture was the primary source of income for 77 per cent of women. The State party had a gender mainstreaming strategy to further enforce the role of women and girls in the sector.

The unemployment rate was higher for women, and men held a higher percentage of managerial positions. To address this, the State party had produced a unique public-private programme, the “Gender Equality Seal” programme. This programme awarded companies that promoted gender equality in the workplace. There had been a marked improvement in financial inclusion since 2019, with women’s access to financial products increasing by 11 per cent. Men had borrowed more than 3.5 times more than women, however. The State party was implementing affirmative actions to support women to access finances and loans.

The State party was supporting non-governmental organizations to help keep Rwanda in line with international standards. It was promoting women’s participation in peace building programmes, and providing training to traditional leaders on preventing gender-based violence. There was a national strategy engaging men and boys in gender equality programmes. There had been a significant increase in access to justice for women. Eight centres nationwide provided comprehensive services to victims of gender-based violence. Rwanda’s counter-trafficking policy implemented robust measures to address the root causes of trafficking.

The Government had implemented various measures to ensure equal access to education, including school feeding programmes, access to 12-year basic education, and gender-friendly school environments. There had been a considerable increase in girls’ enrolment in science, technology, engineering and maths subjects.

Life expectancy had increased to 72 years for females through interventions in the health sector. Around 97 per cent of women received antenatal care, and over 64 per cent of married women were using some form of birth control. The State party planned to increase access to drinking water and electricity to 100 per cent by the end of the year. There were no significant gender disparities in access rates.

Rwanda continued to make progress towards realising the full potential of women and girls, driving efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Questions by Committee Experts

BRENDA AKIA, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Rwanda, expressed solidarity with the people of Rwanda in commemorating the genocide against the Tutsi. As Rwanda marked Kwibuka 30, the Committee commended the Government and the people of Rwanda for the great strides taken in restoring peace and unity in the country. She called for a minute’s silence to honour those who died during the genocide.

Ms. Akia commended the progressive steps taken by Rwanda since the last review, including the legislative reforms taken to prohibit all forms of discrimination against women in all spheres. The State had promoted women’s equal participation in political systems, where women held a 54.7 per cent share of seats in Parliament, the judiciary was made up of fifty-one per cent of female judges, and women made up 45.4 per cent of cabinet members. She also commended the State party for taking steps to implement some of the recommendation from the last concluding observations.

Rwanda was a champion of gender equality. However, about 56 per cent of boys or men compared to 43.8 per cent girls and women were enrolled in technical, vocational, education and training; and 33 per cent of men compared to 12 per cent of women had access to the internet. Rwandese women were kept low in decentralised executive positions and held the majority of so-called “soft positions” in some entities. What concrete steps was the State party taking to close the existing gender gaps and address deep-rooted cultural stereotypes regarding women?

The national action plan on women, peace and security had expired in 2022. Had there been an evaluation of the expired plan to determine how it met the lived realities of vulnerable women in Rwanda? Did the State party intend to renew the plan? Did the judiciary and law and order sectors receive mandatory training on the Convention? How was the Convention incorporated in decisions made by the judiciary and Parliament? Forty-three per cent of women who suffered gender-based violence sought help from neighbours and family members. What concrete steps was the State party taking to increase the utilisation of formal justice systems and train informal traditional and religious leaders to provide justice to women in line with the Convention?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the Government had put in place a legal and institutional framework that enforced gender equality in decision-making positions in the public and private sectors and had established gender machinery that ensured the implementation of the Convention. Several meetings were held with local organizations and “gender accountability days” were convened across the country to promote gender mainstreaming. The men and boys engage strategy was one method of empowering women.

In peacekeeping, Rwanda was at the forefront of efforts to empower women. The Government was increasing the number of women participating in the peacekeeping programme. Peacekeepers received training on the Convention and were encouraged to participate in training community members on women’s rights.

There were 48 “Isange”, one-stop centres where victims of gender-based violence could receive a range of services. Other health centres across the country also provided support services. Weekly meetings were held with community members, in which topics such as gender-based violence were discussed. The Government had developed a law on the prevention of gender-based violence. Cases could be reported by victims or third parties. The State party was continuing to campaign across the country to encourage reporting of incidents of gender-based violence.

Rwanda was committed to promoting the women, peace and security agenda. The State party was currently reviewing its national action plan on women, peace and security with a view to renewal.

Questions by Committee Experts

BRENDA AKIA, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Rwanda, said Rwanda had set the bar high in efforts to achieve gender equality, but there were still clear gender gaps. This indicated that laws and policies were not effectively trickling down. How would the State party close the gender gap?

Another Committee Expert asked how traditional leaders were trained to dispense justice and intervene at the grassroots level in line with the Convention. The Expert welcomed that the national action plan on women, peace and security was under review.

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said there were social and cultural norms that needed to be addressed in Rwanda to bridge gender gaps. The Government was working to inform the public, particularly traditional and religious leaders, of laws and programmes in place to promote women’s rights. It conducted training for public officials and traditional and religious leaders on the Convention.

Questions by Committee Experts

One Committee Expert said the national gender machinery was promoting women’s empowerment. The State’s gender architecture was immense. What effective coordination mechanisms existed for this machinery? The State party had developed strategies for preventing all forms of gender discrimination. How had these strategies helped to close gender gaps? Limited financing hampered the implementation of gender policies. What budget was devoted to supporting women’s recovery after COVID-19? How did the national machinery support the integration of migrants and refugees? How did the State party guarantee the rights of women and girls with disabilities? Were complaints submitted by women to the gender machinery?

Another Committee Expert said Rwanda was a champion of women’s representation, having more women than men in its Parliament for several years. Quotas had also contributed to increasing women’s representation in the judiciary and various levels of Government. One-third of district mayors were women. However, male dominated structures remained. Men occupied more than two-thirds of senior positions in Rwanda. What measures were in place to address practical and structural barriers faced by women? Were voluntary quotas implemented by the private sector to achieve gender equality? How was women’s representation promoted in sports? Would the State party consider increasing quotas for women’s political representation to 50 per cent?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the State party was developing laws on gender mainstreaming. The national gender machinery had grassroots clusters incorporating civil society for mobilising women and promoting gender mainstreaming in policy drafting and discussing budgets for women. There was a steering committee that coordinated the work of these clusters. The State party also mobilised funds from international partners in policies for women. Rwanda had established an economic recovery fund, co-financed by the World Bank. Issues such as women’s limited access to information and business training were considered in the gender action plan for implementation of the fund.

The law governing political parties required women to be considered in the nomination of candidates. There was a need to increase the participation of women in local governments. The National Women’s Council was working to empower and mobilise women to participate in the upcoming local elections in July.

Nineteen companies were certified in the Gender Equality Seal programme this May. There was also a Women’s Finance Forum working to empower women and girls to join the finance sector. The State party was working to mobilise the private sector in gender mainstreaming efforts. Women from the private sector participated in the Women Leaders’ Network. The State party was training women to participate in male-dominated sectors such as mining, and encouraging women to receive education in science, technology, engineering and maths subjects.

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert called on the State party to consider the European Union directive calling for 40 per cent representation of women on the boards of private sector companies. Why had private sector companies not yet introduced quotas?

One Committee Expert asked whether the Gender Monitoring Office held sectors accountable to engage in gender budgeting. What were the roles of the Parliamentary Caucus and the Forum of Parliamentarian Women? How did their functions differ?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the Gender Monitoring Office monitored the various Government institutions and held them accountable for the number of women they appointed. Each institution was required to have a gender budgeting statement when designing their budgets.

The Parliamentary Caucus considered a range of issues that were not limited to women, while the Forum of Parliamentarian Women solely considered issues concerning women.

Questions by Committee Experts

Another Committee Expert commended the State party for initiatives to train religious leaders on gender equality principles and the empowerment of women. The State party had developed a national gender strategy (2023-2028) that engaged men and boys. What was the duration and objectives of training of religious leaders? Were these programmes human rights based, and did they consider the Committee’s recommendations concerning gender-based violence? How did the programmes address women with disabilities? Were there programmes to address gender stereotypes?

A 2008 law on gender-based violence distinguished between rape and conjugal rape, which carried a lesser sentence. Had there been convictions for conjugal rape? This form of rape was reportedly a taboo subject that was rarely criminalised. Could the State party provide data on prosecutions and convictions for sexual violence? Was there a law specifically addressing domestic violence? What measures were in place to prohibit the mediation of domestic violence cases outside of courts?

The Expert commended the establishment of one-stop centres for victims of gender-based violence and the pilot “safe cities programme”. What resources were provided to the one-stop centres? How many shelters were available for victims? How had the safe cities programme contributed to the safety of women and girls?

Another Committee Expert said many efforts had been made to fight trafficking since 2018, including a national action plan on trafficking in persons. When would the new national action plan be implemented? There was a trilateral agreement with neighbouring States that reportedly facilitated trafficking by making it easier to move across borders. How was the State party working to address this issue? Refugees and asylum seekers were an easy target for traffickers. How was the State party working to protect refugees and asylum seekers from traffickers?

The State party lacked effective protocols for screening of trafficking. As a result, it may have detained victims of trafficking, such as women working in the sex industry. When would it develop such protocols? There were efforts to identify trafficking victims at borders, but issues with identifying trafficking in internal areas. How would the State party strengthen measures for identifying victims internally? The State party was required to cover the costs of repatriation of Rwandans overseas but lacked sufficient officials abroad to support trafficking victims. How would it increase support for Rwandan trafficking victims abroad? How would the State party revise legal provisions to protect sex workers?

A Committee Expert said around half of persons believed that wife beating was acceptable in cases such as when the wife refused sexual intercourse or burnt food. How was the State party working to change these perceptions?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said there was a curriculum for training religious leaders. Religious leaders were trained on laws on gender-based violence, referral services for victims and the integration of victims into society. Trainers were trained on the Convention. Awareness raising campaigns were held on the law on gender-based violence, encouraging the protection of victims and reporting of cases. The State party provided services for victims of conjugal rape. Conjugal rape was often not reported. Such cases of rape were treated in the same manner as other gender-based violence cases. There were inclusive strategies in place to address stereotypes and change both men and women’s mindsets.

The Isange one-stop centres offered services supporting access to justice and health. The centres were funded by the Government and victims were treated free of charge. Victims stayed at shelters until their problems were solved, receiving mentoring on ways of becoming self-dependent. There were currently four shelters in different areas of the country, and the one-stop centres also had safe rooms for housing victims temporarily. Services that could not be provided by the one-stop centres were provided by hospitals and the judiciary.

There were clear laws and policies regarding the fight against human trafficking. Rwanda was committed to combatting trafficking, engaging with other countries. The partnership with the United Kingdom was a solution for persons at risk of becoming victims of trafficking on their journey to Europe. Rwanda was always ready to provide a safe environment to women and girls at risk. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs oversaw repatriation. Asylum seekers benefitted from programmes supporting access to State services.

Questions by Committee Experts

One Committee Expert congratulated the State party on its governance model and the high percentage of female parliamentarians in Rwanda. What regional peace negotiations were currently underway and were women present in these exchanges? What was the role of women in Rwanda’s diplomacy and were there positive discrimination policies encouraging the appointment of women in diplomatic posts? What steps had been taken to boost gender parity at the local government level? Were there plans to expand positive masculinity programmes across the country?

Another Committee Expert commended the State party for implementing measures to ensure that men and women could pass down their nationality to their children, and for granting nationality to all identified stateless persons in Rwanda in 2019. How had the national action plan on statelessness for 2020 to 2024 addressed the vulnerability of women and girls? Were there plans to develop a new iteration of the plan? How was the State party tracking achievement of targets regarding birth and death registration? What measures were in place to ensure that registration services were accessible for women and girls? How was the State party making civil registration services available to asylum seekers and refugees and ensuring fast asylum claim processing? What steps had been taken to implement the Kampala Convention?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said women took part in discussions on regional peace and security. The State party had a policy for appointing women diplomats, but there was still work to be done in this regard. It was working to strengthen the skills of women diplomats. The State party had strategies for building infrastructure in remote areas that welcomed women workers and provided women in those areas with motorcycles to help them travel to work. Secondary school and university education programmes aimed to change mindsets regarding gender.

Rwanda was working to eliminate statelessness and discrimination based on status. Recently, the State party had revised the law on registration to facilitate digital registration. Registration services were provided at health centres where children were born and at local registration offices. The Immigration Service and local authorities supported refugees and asylum seekers to access registration services. A law had been developed requiring persons with disabilities to be supported in the registration process.

Questions by Committee Experts

Another Committee Expert said education was compulsory and free in all public schools, but 65 per cent of women and girls did not receive a full education. In rural areas, it was twice as likely for residents to not be educated compared to urban areas. How was the State party making the right to education a reality in Rwanda, particularly in rural areas? Girls were more likely to drop out of school. What was the State party doing to support girls during menstruation periods? How was the State party supporting schoolgirls who fell pregnant? What sexual and reproductive health education was provided in schools? What steps had been taken to combat bullying? How did the school curriculum address stereotypes against women? How was the State party encouraging female students to take up science, technology, engineering and maths subjects? What steps had been taken to ensure that refugee women and girls, and women and girls with disabilities had access to education?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the Government was increasing access to education. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government had constructed 650 new schools. It was working to increase the number of secondary schools and universities and improving the quality of institutions. Short-term training was provided to teenage mothers who could not rejoin formal education to support their inclusion in society and access to employment. The Government’s main priority was supporting mothers to return to formal education. Twenty per cent of the total budget was invested in education. All schools were required to have a “girls’ room” that had sanitary pads and mentors on reproductive health, with whom girls could make complaints of harassment. Offenders were pursued in the justice system. Sexual and reproductive education was also provided in the school curriculum. The Government formed partnerships with different organizations to support refugees’ access to higher education.

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert commended the State party’s progressive legal framework concerning women’s labour, including the law granting 14 weeks of maternity leave and seven days of paternity leave and the law prohibiting workplace sexual harassment. However, women continued to be engaged in unpaid work, particularly in the agricultural sector. The gender pay gap was at 26 per cent. How was the State party addressing the gap; providing appropriate compensation for women’s labour; addressing unpaid care work; and protecting the rights of women working in the informal sector? What was being done to help women transition from the informal to the formal sector? Domestic workers were working in difficult conditions. Were there any accountability mechanisms for employers? What measures were in place to promote access to employment for women with disabilities and female asylum seekers?

It was estimated that around 150,000 children aged six to 15 were engaged in labour. Around half of these, mostly girls, were in the domestic labour sector. How was the State party addressing child labour, including by providing sufficient resources to inspection services?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the draft law governing persons and families addressed unpaid care work. This law aimed to tackle the issue of the gender pay gap. It was currently being reviewed in Parliament.

Child labour was prohibited. Persons who forced children to work were judicially punished. The State party was working to monitor the domestic work sector, supporting children involved in the sector to return to school. Inspections of workplaces were conducted regularly. The Government was providing capital to women in agriculture to move to the financial sector and to produce more than was needed for self-sustenance. These women were also encouraged to join cooperatives, within which they could earn higher salaries.

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert said the State party’s efforts to reduce maternal mortality were commendable, including the expansion of adolescent family planning and healthcare services. There were discussions about allowing adolescents aged 16 to 18 to access contraceptives without adults’ consent. However, there were difficulties for women and girls with disabilities in accessing reproductive health services. What was the State party doing to ensure that women and girls with disabilities had full access to these services? What training was provided to service providers on sign language? Unsafe abortions continued due to restrictive laws and stereotypes. Abortions could only be carried out by medical doctors, limiting accessibility. Mandatory antenatal testing helped to combat HIV/AIDS, but there were issues with the protection of women’s privacy. Would the State party consider making antenatal testing voluntary? There were accusations that the agreement with the United Kingdom to receive asylum seekers put the health of pregnant asylum seekers at risk. How would the State party protect the health of transferred asylum seekers who were pregnant?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the Ministry of Health was trying to increase the number of health professionals four-fold, so more professionals could provide abortion services. There were no plans to review the law on abortion. The Government was providing support for education institutions offering training to medical students.

Normally, HIV testing was not compulsory. Pregnant women were tested to protect their children. Health professionals had an obligation to not disclose patients’ information.

The Government wished to provide safe spaces for asylum seekers. There were misunderstandings about the agreement with the United Kingdom. This was a solution to the global migration crisis. Rwanda would provide a haven and a dignified life for the migrants it accepted under the programme. No issues regarding women and girl migrants’ health had been raised with the State party thus far. The State party would work to restore their dignity.

Questions by Committee Experts

One Committee Expert congratulated the State party on its innovative efforts to promote women’s access to work and finances. However, there were still issues in these areas. How effective had the State party’s policies been in promoting women’s access to employment? Had the number of women’s export businesses increased through Government support? How was the State party supporting women to benefit from the African Continental Free Trade Area? Had the number of women-led businesses increased in recent years? How was the State party monitoring women’s representation in the private sector?

How effective had the programme promoting transition into the financial sector for rural women been? What tax credits and pensions were provided for women? How was the State party promoting women’s participation in the sports and entertainment industry? How successful had the “one cow, one family” initiative been in empowering women? The Expert called on the State party to consider the time taken to care for children when calculating women’s unpaid domestic work.

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said there were more men in the mining and construction sectors, but more women in the health, trade, agricultural and fishing sectors. Women engaged in more unpaid domestic work than men. Women’s access to loans had increased between 2019 and 2023. Rwanda was willing to participate in international programmes that promoted women’s participation in the private sector. The Government would consider how to measure unpaid care work and include it in the gross domestic product.

The “one cow, one family” programme aimed to provide rural families with a source of milk and income. It had been very successful; the nutrition and income of many recipients had improved. The school feeding programme fed around three million children each day. The State party was aiming to provide milk to all school children though this feeding programme.

Questions by Committee Experts

Another Committee Expert congratulated the State party on its progress in addressing gender equality issues and its agricultural programmes. Rural populations had less access to services and electricity than urban populations; only 36 per cent of rural households had access to electricity, compared to around 80 per cent of urban households. It was necessary to encourage economically viable agriculture from which women farmers could earn a good income. Women and girls provided unpaid labour in male-owned farms.

Most women lacked the 25 per cent contribution necessary to access Business Development Fund loans. How were authorities made aware of women’s right to land? How was the State party ensuring that women farmers in the informal sector had access to social security benefits? How were women made aware of their land rights? What was the status of land ownership reform in Rwanda?

The previous concluding observations expressed concern regarding the discrimination faced by Batwa women. Had the State party implemented the Committee’s recommendations regarding the protection of Batwa women’s rights and collected disaggregated data on these women?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the State party was implementing various schemes to eliminate poverty and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Many poor women received support through social protection programmes to access income. Rwanda no longer considered people based on ethnic categories. It aimed to provide support based on persons’ economic capacity.

The Government had encouraged joint ownership of land between men and women. Most land was now joint owned. The State party was also encouraging women to join cooperatives and saving schemes to gain sufficient funds to access Business Development Fund loans, which had interest rates that were close to zero. The Government was training women in financial literacy.

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert called for data on increases in land registrations and women’s access to social security. How many women in rural areas worked without pay? The Expert welcomed the cooperatives and saving schemes for women.

The State party should not ignore the existence of the Batwa. This group had been expelled from the forest they had inhabited for centuries. Would Rwanda be willing to implement temporary special measures to improve the social and economic status of Batwa women and girls and establish clear channels for their integration?

BRENDA AKIA, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Rwanda, said that Rwanda had made significant progress in improving access to water and sanitation, but access to electricity remained a significant challenge. What had the Government done to support electrification? How was the State party providing climate financing to help women and girls to adapt better to the effects of climate change?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said that after the genocide against the Tutsi, Rwanda adopted an inclusive system. The Government had a mandate to take care of all vulnerable groups, including the Batwa, and would address these groups wholistically.

Rwanda was committed to reaching 100 per cent access to electricity. The State party would continue to invest in electricity infrastructure. It was making efforts to counter the consequences of climate change. The Government was providing energy efficient stoves to households and incentives to use electric cars. There were also forestation programmes in place.

Questions by Committee Experts

Another Committee Expert said there was positive, ongoing improvement in Rwanda’s legislation. What measures were in place to protect the economic rights of women in informal unions? How could such women prove that they were co-owners of assets and how could they access inheritance? In Rwanda, eight per cent of women reported that their husbands had many wives, although polygamy was prohibited. How was the State party enforcing the prohibition of polygamy?

Around five per cent of women were married before the age of 18. Refugee children were at an increased risk of sexual abuse and forced marriage. What actions were being taken to address these issues and put an end to child marriage? How was the State party effectively enforcing marriage laws? There were plans to amend the law on women and families. How would these amendments serve to implement the State’s commitments under the Convention? How was the State party addressing informal unions between children and adults? What were the consequences for violating marriage laws? Were civil registries accessible?

One Committee Expert commended the openness and transparency shown by the delegation. It would have been good if representatives of other sectors could have attended the dialogue to hear the topics discussed. What interaction was there between the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion and other institutions?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the Constitution allowed for formal marriages between a man and a woman only and the age of marriage was 21, but there were differences between laws and practice. The Government was working to give women and men in informal unions equal rights to property. It did not encourage people to live in informal unions and was working to increase access to civil registrars and legal marriage. Women and men in formal unions had the same inheritance rights. Dowries were not required for registering civil unions. The law on women and families was being revised to address issues regarding marriage. The State party was conducting campaigns on preventing child marriage and persons who facilitated child marriage faced legal consequences.

Interaction and partnerships nationally and internationally had strengthened measures for promoting women’s rights in Rwanda. Each ministry had a gender focal point who worked with the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion to promote gender mainstreaming and gender budgeting. Private institutions were devising gender mainstreaming strategies and some had established mothers’ rooms where employees could take care of their children. All tea factories had early childhood development centres; one had received a Gender Seal. The Government was also working with civil society to empower women.

Concluding Remarks

VALENTINE UWAMARIYA, Minister of Gender and Family Promotion of Rwanda and head of the delegation, thanked the Committee for the dialogue, which had been an opportunity to discuss the gaps where further efforts were needed to implement the Convention. The Committee’s concluding observations would be considered and implemented. Rwanda aimed to promote the equal rights of all and leave no groups behind. There was no way the State could move forward if it forgot half of its population. There was a need for increased engagement with all stakeholders to better coordinate policies for women.

ESTHER EGHOBAMIEN-MSHELIA, Committee Vice-Chair, thanked the delegation for the dialogue, which had provided further insight into the situation of women in Rwanda. The Committee commended the State party for its efforts and encouraged it to take all necessary efforts to implement the Committee’s recommendations for the benefit of all women and girls in the country.

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