The Rwanda Women Parliamentary Forum (RWPF) will hold a high-level international workshop on the role of gender in promoting good governance and building democracy.

The event, scheduled for July 18 at the Parliament building, will draw an estimated 500 participants from Rwanda, the East African Community (EAC) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). 

This was revealed during a Friday parliamentary press briefing by the president of the Senate, Vincent Biruta.

"We are in preparations for parliamentary elections this September and we thought this was an appropriate time to look at the progress made,” he explained.

While emphasizing the importance attached to the role of gender in Rwanda, Biruta underscored that the conference would provide, among other things, a grand opportunity for exchange of ideas on the issue.

Mukandutiye Spéciose, the RWPF chairperson, added that while the MPs are preparing to wrap up their term in office, there was need to particularly sensitise women to vote in the elections. She said the gender component should emphasize capacity building, gender legislations and the gender budget aspect.

Alfred Mukezamfura, president of the Chamber of Deputies, commended the workshop and called for appropriate public awareness so that women fairly participate in the elections.

Biruta acknowledged that gender equality and women’s empowerment is ‘a process’ and ‘takes time.’

"We knew that it would not take off in a single day, but what was important was to put up measures,” he said, adding, "Today, much progress has been achieved and there is even more to be done.”

According to the event organisers, it also aims at guaranteeing that Rwanda continues to lead with the biggest number of women MPs in the world.

While the record of women’s political representation remains low in most countries, Rwanda boasts a 48.8 percent women representation in parliament – the highest in the world.

The event will also emphasize the basic principles of good governance, identify obstacles and design strategies to support gender equality in the up-coming legislative elections.

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