Every year has its highs and lows, but what a year 2024 was! The main highlights of the year in terms of gender equality include advancements in family law, increased female political representation, and initiatives to combat gender-based violence. While Rwanda’s achievements in the last three decades are undoubtedly laudable, it is not yet a ‘paradise’ for women. Nevertheless, taking one step at a time has made the country deservedly stand out as one of the most gender equal in the world. The year 2024 served as a reminder of the journey that lies ahead, but it also showed the power of consistent effort, and as the saying goes, you reap what you sow. Here is how; Political representation In the July 2024 elections, Rwanda continued to have the highest percentage of women in parliament globally, with almost 64 per cent of seats in the House of Deputies filled by women. This was a result of the electoral gender quota determined by the constitution, but it also can be attributed to more women willing to participate in the political field. The number of women who campaigned to be in parliament increased tremendously in the previous decade and a half. In the women’s category, 105 campaigned in 2008, 113 campaigned in 2013, before they increased to 179 in 2018 and the all time high 199 in 2024. In the general suffrage, 2024 was the all time high, where 154 of 346 candidates were women. In 2008, there were only 79 women out of 206 candidates, 92 women out of 269 candidates in 2013, and 132 women out of 306 candidates in 2018. Another notable achievement is that for the first time in Rwanda’s history, we have a female majority senate. Women now make 53.8 per cent of the Upper House, or 14 of the 26 senators, up from just 35 per cent. ALSO READ: Rwanda’s female majority in senate reflects ‘growing trust’ in women leadership Valuing unpaid care work Another 2024 milestone is the revised law governing persons and family that was officially gazetted. The stand out most article is where unpaid care work will be valued in divorce settlements. Unpaid care work done by one or both spouses will be counted as between 10 and 39 per cent of the property they earned since the day they got married, after taking away any debts they took on after getting married. Globally, 75 percent of housework is done by women and girls, which shows the tremendous unequal distribution of labour in a household, yet without it, society cannot function. UN Women’s 2022 baseline survey in eight districts of Rwanda found that rural women spend on average 7.1 hours per day occupied with unpaid household work, while their male counterparts spend only 2.1 hours. The difference is not much for urban dwellers who have more access to electricity, water and cooking gas, because women spend 6.9 hours per day on unpaid care work, while their male counterparts spend 2.1 hours. Although this law is the right step in making sure that there is fairness in household work distribution, its practicality is not clear enough as it only takes effect when couples divorce. Unpaid care work can be and is in reality a form of gender-based violence because it disproportionately and unfairly burdens women, it is often used to control and exploit women, it can lead to physical, emotional, and psychological harm, and it reinforces harmful gender stereotypes. Spouses, especially women, who won’t divorce, will still become victims of this. This new year could be a good time to work on this gap, first by acknowledging unpaid care work as a possible form of gender-based violence, and ensuring it is preventable and punishable by the law. Then it can also be valued within marriage and ensure it is distributed fairly. Surrogacy The revised law also codifies surrogacy, which makes it easier for couples who want to pursue assisted reproduction using a third party, without necessarily seeking court approval. This is a win for human rights, but specifying that only married couples can access it is also not inclusive enough. Also, measures to prevent this milestone from women’s bodies being exploited or abused by human traffickers should be expected this year. Other parts of this law are controversial, and in particular, allowing 18-year-olds to get married under reasonable grounds, such as in case of a pregnancy. Although these teenagers are considered adults by the law, marriage requires more than just age. It is highly open to question if married teenagers will be able to complete school and grow their careers, as well as support their children to do the same. But this is a discussion for another day. Teenage access to contraception The Chamber of Deputies in November 2024 approved the relevance of a bill on health services, which among other proposals, sought to revise the age of consent for healthcare from the current 18 to 15. Tabled by the Minister of Health before the lower chamber, if adopted, this bill will ease access to reproductive health services, among others, for teenagers and reduce associated health risks, including unwanted teenage pregnancies. ALSO READ: Disability advocacy group backs bill on contraception for 15-year-olds Although it has been a tug of war in the past years, with similar efforts failing, there is hope that this time it may work. Having the bill approved again is a positive step, but being adopted as it is remains to be seen. Access to abortion services Just before the year ended, another milestone in reproductive health rights was achieved. The amended ministerial order determining conditions to be met for a medical doctor to perform an abortion finally allowed health centres and private clinics to perform abortions as long as they are authorised by the Ministry of Health. Previously, these services would only be available at hospitals and delivered only by doctors who obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in medicine. This was a hindrance as it required traveling long distances for services that were not even guaranteed to be timely. Legalizing abortion in Rwanda was a big step towards achieving reproductive health rights, but making the service available to the grassroot level shows the commitment of the government in leaving no one behind. Fighting online violence against women The Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion in December 2024 launched a campaign to combat technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) under the theme “My Digital Space Should Be Safe”. It is a timely campaign (maybe a little overdue) that will raise awareness on online violence- which disproportionately affects women more, and whose effects can be very dangerous. The future? As many people have acknowledged, true gender equality remains an elusive goal. The very fact that women need an article to celebrate achievements underscores this reality. Gender equality should be the norm, not a cause for celebration. However, this article serves as a crucial reminder of the progress the country has made. The journey ahead is still long, but with continued effort, we will undoubtedly reach our destination.
