The secret to Africa’s development is by empowering women economically, the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Claver Gatete told African women legislators.

Gatete was yesterday addressing a plenary session of about 50 women legislators from Africa’s Great Lakes and Sahel regions, who are on five-day study tour in the country.

Drawing reference to Rwanda’s gender policies, Gatete said women’s economic empowerment is critical to sustainable development.

Rwanda realised that to achieve its development visions, it had to ensure gender sensitive policies, he said.

"In our vision 2020, where we want to be a middle income state, we had to make sure that gender empowerment policies are captured. What we’re looking for is to ensure women [and youth] access to economic resources, which would lead them to economic freedom. This is one of the programmes we have taken down to grassroots level.”

Rwanda has made strides in promoting gender equality, which is the third of the eight Millennium Development Goals set by the United Nations.

Gender equality in the country is one principle that has helped more Rwandan women access education, financial services, and placed them in many decision-making positions.

The national constitution provides that women must constitute at least 30 per cent in decision making organs.This has, in one way or another; led Rwanda to hold a world record of having majority women representation in the legislature.

64 per cent of seats in Lower Chamber of Parliament are occupied by women, with 38 per cent in the Senate.

"We want to lead by example in ensuring women in decision making positions,” said Gatete.

Organic Law on state finance and property require budget agencies to mainstream gender into their plans and budgets. "This helps us to clearly show what needs are facing men and women in respective sectors, as we forge ways to address them in proposed programmes,” said the minister.

Official reports indicate that land ownership in Rwanda indicate that 26 per cent of land is owned by women, 18 per cent owned by men, with 54 percent shared by both spouses.

MP Esperance Musafiri from DR Congo said the trends in Rwanda are desirable as compared to her country’s gender empowerment status.

"I was touched on how a law that is not gender sensitive cannot pass into parliament. It is desirable. This country has gone to a point where they understand that women are key players in development agenda. I have discovered realities that are still a dream in my country,” said Musafiri.

MP Mariama Mousa from Mali said, "in our country we have deep disparity in gender equality. It will take us time to catch up with Rwanda, but we are working towards that.”

Another MP Augustine Kilambe Lwando from DR Congo reiterated that she was impressed by Rwanda’s gender sensitivity and political will to women empowerment.

"We have not done a tenth of what Rwandan women have achieved...we hope to invite Rwandan women legislators to our country and share with us more of their gender equality success story,” said Kilambe.

Rwanda’s Senator Marie Claire Mukasine, who was the moderator of the plenary told women legislators that enhancing women capacity and striving for gender sensitive legal frameworks would ensure collective development of the society.