Naturally, working women face many unique challenges relating to juggling work and other responsibilities including child bearing, ensuring that a home is functional and anything that comes in between.

In a fast-paced world where people have to take on several jobs to make ends meet or venture into business to supplement their income, the demands women face, particularly those in entrepreneurship or creative space, can be pretty exhausting.

If not well managed, these challenges and responsibilities can bear heavily on one’s life and overall wellness, have a lifelong impact on the body and brain and at the same time impact productivity.

Many women in Rwanda, just as across the globe, often find themselves in a bad place mentally and healthwise when they are dealing with work-life imbalance.

As Rwanda continues to pursue her development goals, with women playing their part in different ways, work-life imbalance is a reality many have to deal with, particularly working women taking on leadership roles or running their own business.

For two days, from August 1 to 2, women in the entrepreneurship space came together in a series of workshops at Norrsken House Kigali to explore the intersection of gender equity and mental health within business and entrepreneurial environments.

The workshops themed "Women’s Mental Health and Gender Equity in Business” brought together women from different spheres who candidly shared their diverse perspectives and personal stories, from mental health struggles to burnout as they try to maintain a balance between what they do and their own social lives and health.

The aim of the conversations which were put together by the American Chamber of Commerce, New York-based Fashion powerhouse Kate Spade, in partnership with Norrsken and Masozera Africa, was to spark an authentic dialogue on the intricate balance between culture, traditions, and gender dynamics at the intersection of mental health and women empowerment in business.

Navigating cultural hurdles

Traditionally in Rwanda, women are expected to fulfill certain duties at home, which include making sure that children and spouse are ok, for those who are married and that everything is working perfectly, on top of spending long days pursuing their entrepreneurial goals.

The conversations touched on the pivotal role of gender-equity-driven allyship and mutual support, considering that women face more difficulties when it comes to balancing between work and life compared to men, for instance, as several studies have found.

There were two panels which discussed Gender Equity and Mental Health in Business and Entrepreneurship-the African Context, looking at the current landscape, achievements and milestones in gender equity as well as challenges women entrepreneurs face.

The first panel had women who shared their own expertise and experiences, led by Tramaine El-Amin, Vice President, Mental Health First Aid USA, National Council for Mental Wellbeing, Michelle Umurungi, Deputy Managing Director East Africa, Norrsken House Kigali, Claudine Umulisa, Acting MD, Abahizi, and Vanessa Zuba, a Gender Equity Advocate.

The discussions which were moderated by Isabelle Masozera, founder of Masozera Africa, herself a mental health and wellness advocate focused on the significant intersection between gender equity and mental health, with the panelists sharing their own perspectives in a room full of energy.

One at a time, they each weighed in on how mental health challenges are an integral part of fostering an environment of inclusivity and support, as individuals’ well-being directly impacts their ability to contribute effectively to gender equity initiatives.

The second panel which touched on the specific methods to practice allyship and mutual support featured Norette Turimuci, Lead, Gender and Youth Engagement, Mastercard Foundation, Kyle John Schofield, Co-founder and Managing Director, QA Venue Solutions and Erica Mbanda, ICF-certified Leadership and Transformational Life Coach.

The conversations were so candid that the keynote speaker, Nelly Mukazayire, the Deputy CEO of Rwanda Development Board (RDB), chose not to read her speech, instead opting to speak from the heart and sharing her own rigours of work-life balance.

Mukazayire also spoke about what the Government of Rwanda is doing to achieve gender equality and equity at work, including different laws and policies- some already in place, others in the pipeline, but they all lead to one thing- building an equitable society where both women and men can thrive.

She emphasised that ‘gender equity’ should not be seen in the sense of a fight between men and women but it should rather be seen as an effort to remove the imbalances created in society for a long time, whether by culture or gender norms, which put women at a disadvantage.

"It's more of trying to establish a balance by tackling some of the gender norms and roles which we’ve had in our communities or system for a long time, which put women at a disadvantage,” Mukazayire said.

"It's a fact that imbalance has been there because of culture, different systems and traditions,” she added, pointing out that the government has been deliberate in putting in place the right laws and policies to address the gaps in gender equity, much as there is more work to be done.

When it comes to mental health, Mukakazayire said that men and women face similar challenges, but women are most likely to find themselves at a competitive disadvantage because of those realities linked to culture, gender roles and expectations.

For Mukazayire, what is more important now is to put in place a conducive environment for women to operate, whether it is at home or at work, considering that most professional women on average spend more time at work than at home.

Work in progress

At the national level, the Deputy RDB CEO said the government has been putting in place laws, rules and regulations that enable a conducive working environment for women and also giving them an opportunity to compete for opportunities in fairness and putting them in leadership roles.

She pointed out that today, women in Rwanda can be appointed to positions of leadership, promoted, given a raise or remunerated as their male counterparts, not because they are women, but because they are capable.

However, that is one side of the coin. In reality, most women will find themselves struggling with work life balances given the expectations at work and in society when they are put in such positions. They have to put in twice the work.

Mukazayire said that having such conversations can help address these challenges, not because women came together to share their experiences but also because it was an opportunity for men to learn more about their role as crucial allies.

One of the biggest challenges she said women face is doing what they do just to prove to society that they can do it and remove the doubt, but in the end, it unnecessarily keeps women under pressure and limits their abilities.

It starts with one understanding who they are, what they can bring on the table and have the ability to think and do things independently, to bring out the very best out of you, rather than working to meet society expectations.

Mukazayire shared her own experience, having occupied several leadership positions, where in many cases she has to make tough decisions and act, on top of managing people to ensure that everything works as it should, paying attention even to the smallest of details.

Juggling career and motherhood

Being a parent herself, she touched on the aspect of motherhood, pointing out that every working mother with professional responsibilities will at some point feel that they are not doing enough, let alone spending ample time with the children and that ‘guilt trips’ them into trying to do much more than they can handle.

For most working mums, lunch with family is not guaranteed, given how limited time can be and most will not be home by 5pm. The majority of working women find themselves going home late, sometimes even when children are sleeping, due to the workload.

Mukazayire said that at some point she ‘almost collapsed’, trying to juggle all the responsibilities she had, taking care of the home, helping children to do their homework and all that, in the name of trying to fill the void.

She reminded professional working women that like anyone else, they have 24hrs to fit in all they have to do in a day and they should plan and use them in a manner that does not compromise one thing over another, most importantly one’s health.

It also goes down to how one uses that time. If it is two hours you are going to spend with the children, make it quality time and also have a candid discussion with them on what you are doing and they might just understand. It is also important to understand what the expectations of your children are.

She however emphasised the importance of bonding with children because they need their time. Mukazayire equated not being available for your children as akin to planting a plant and not watering it. They need time and love.

She shared her incredible personal journey, touching on some of the things that could have destabilised her mentally growing up and later in life as an adult, including loss, all of which got her in position where she questioned her own existence but when she understood the essence of life and the gift it is, she picked herself up and carried on.

The speakers emphasized the importance of women entrepreneurs trying their best to ‘live’, rather than just ‘exist’, which means prioritising things that improve their lives.

On her part, Umurungi said that Norrsken Kigali House, which is home to many women and girls in the creative and innovative space reiterated the importance and timeliness of the conversation on equity, especially at the workplace, pointing out that with gender equity, equality can be less meaningful.

She also highlighted some of the things the Nyarugenge-based startup hub and co-working space has put in place to make work easy for young women looking to spur their entrepreneurship spirit.

American El-Amin used an interesting analogy to describe gender equality and gender equity. She said it boils down to the work environment women are operating in, with the panelist pointing out that gender equality can be equated to being allowed through the door, but equity means having a seat at the table.

Similarly, equity can be compared to being invited to a party and being given a right to modify the playlist to make the party more enjoyable for all. It also means addressing the individual needs of each person because equity is not a one shoe fits all.

El-Amin said that equity starts with acknowledging that there is a distinction between equity and equality, simply because equality can be performed while equity should be inherent and when it is absent, equality alone might not be enough.

It is something she said cuts across globally, because even in the U.S, which is considered one of the most developed countries in the world, they are still working on achieving equity as it should be.

She reiterated the connection between physical health and mental wellbeing, pointing out that many times when people talk about women's health, people think of diseases or health conditions but for women it is much more than that.

"For women, it's more about the burden and the responsibility, in terms of not only doing what we have to do in our careers but also the day-to-day caregiving and the caretaking in a lot of situations in our homes,” she said emphasizing how intricate it is for women.

"So, this is just very layered. When we talk about mental health for a woman, it is not just that individual. It is about all the circles, for which, that woman is connected to,” she said, highlighting some of the tough decisions women have to make.

She pointed out that there for women it is a multi-layered experience that typically people who are not women might not understand, because it is a pretty complex subject.

These are challenges women face right from a young age as attested by Zuba Mutesi, who said that as 15-year-old girl who wanted to be part of Miss Geek 2015 and take part in global conferences, but often she met many people discouraging her and it took a bit of standing up and defying odds.

Zuba, who often speaks about mental health and taking care of one’s health above everything else, has played a role in raising her voice to issues that affect people on a daily basis, regardless of who they are.

For many girls of her age, Zuba says the pressure to keep up with the fast-paced world, where in some cases they have to study and at the same time work or pursue a business idea as well as other society expectations is real and it leaves many young women in a difficult place mentally and Healthwise.

The U.S Ambassador to Rwanda, Ambassador Eric W. Kneedler, who attended the sessions said the conversation on gender equity and mental health adds to Rwanda’s ongoing efforts to achieve gender equality and equity, with the country already among those on the right track globally.

He cited an example of women making up 62% of parliament and occupying key government positions.

He said however that there is a need to address the challenges women in business and entrepreneurship face, emphasizing that gender equity in the economic sector is not just a matter of fairness but it also a catalyst and driver of growth and innovation.

The U.S envoy said that there are still many barriers affecting women in entrepreneurship, pointing out that the U.S Government will continue to support Rwanda’s efforts to make the workplace conducive for women and girls.

He said the vision is to create a world where girls and women can meaningfully participate and contribute to economic growth and also partake in the benefits as they should.

"I just want to underscore the fact that the United States is going to continue to join you all, as you work towards gender equity,” he said, adding that the governments of the two countries are working together on different initiatives, many of which are focussed on empowering women economically.

Empowering rural women

Taryn Bird, Senior Director, Social Impact, Kate Spade, highlighted some of the work the New York-based fashion powerhouse has been doing in Rwanda since 2013, working with Rwandan artisanal women to produce products which are sold on the international market.

But said that working with vulnerable women, their work goes beyond just producing products for their supply chain but rather creating a community of empowered women who can support and rely on each.

When they started out, she said they faced challenges of dissociation and lack of communication skills to improve efficiency and create a high-end product for the world marketplace they had thought.

"We did something about it. We started schools and community programs at the factory that provided women with access to culturally competent, mental health and economics skills, alongside the vocational training to meet these beautiful bags you see right here,” Bird said.

Having built a community of women with the same goal and vision, Bird said that they have been able to produce over 290,000 bags for the global marketplace over the course of the years.

"This was something that we feel very proud about,” she said, pointing out that over the years they felt the need to include a wide range of mental health resources in what they do, bearing in mind the cultural aspects of each of the countries they work in.

Benefits like aromatherapy, a rest spot to take a nap in a day because someone didn't sleep well the night before and psychotherapy are some of the things they do to improve the lives of the women they work with. That has directly fed into the quality of the products they produce.

She pointed out that they’ve been working with non-profit partners and a group of global researchers to identify specific ways women and girls can maintain high levels of self-love and self-care, in optimistic view of the future resilience, which is something that Rwanda has a lot to teach people about, particularly self-determination and self-efficacy, given the country’s history.

She pointed out that a study they did showed that cultivating good mental health practices for women and girls leads to higher levels of participation in families, which also leads to higher levels of confidence and self-esteem, ultimately connecting to that authentic voice, choice and power for women to lead joyful lives.

"When we talk about mental health, we're not talking about always going and sitting in front of a therapist. We're talking about the different integrated wellness programs and solutions that help women entrepreneurs to connect themselves into and utilise,”

She emphasized the importance of women choosing themselves and living their truth, embracing their authentic power, to create their own community that takes safety at work, reminding leaders in the room that investing in women's mental health is investment in the pursuit or inherent human rights.

Yannick Ntirushwa, Executive Director, American Chamber of Commerce, Rwanda, which worked with Kate Spade and partners the sessions were organised to address the unique challenges women face, linked to gender equity, business, and mental health, many of which have existed for long.

"The unique obstacles facing women at these intersections are not new. However, the strategies women employ to navigate and thrive amidst these challenges showcase resourcefulness, resilience, and creativity, all of which deserve a platform,” Ntirushwa said.

Ntirushwa, who hosted a panel which touched on allyship and the role of men, said that the forum was an opportunity to explore the pivotal role of allyship and mutual support in realizing the collective vision of an inclusive society.

"To the men in the room, or those afforded the privileges of men in our current society, I invite you to approach this discussion with genuine curiosity and a commitment,” he said, challenging men to embrace genuine allyship in this journey, rather just doing it to appear to be doing it.