Women groups are reportedly hailing President Paul Kagamegovernment's gender equality policy after 44 women were elected to Rwanda's80-seat parliament in this month's election. This makes Rwanda the firstcountry in the world where women outnumber men in parliament, according toresults released so far by the country's electoral commission. Some politicalobserves say the number of women parliamentarians could even be higher if threeseats, which are reserved for the physically challenged and youthrepresentatives go to women.
Womengroups say it is a welcome development, which would further boost theconfidence of young girls in Rwandan society. ShyakaKanuma is the editor of the focus newspaper. He tells reporter Peter Clotteyfrom the capital, Kigali that Rwandans are proud of how far women have comeafter the country's 1994 genocide.
"Theyare proud that we have really been the first to break so to speak where thewomen have broken the glass ceiling with so many numbers in Rwanda'sparliament. Naturally, Rwanda is a patriarchal society and politics was verymuch a male thing, but now it's like we are enlightened. We are no longer in thisbackward sort of thinking that women are only good for the kitchen or householdchores, and honestly people are proud of that," Kanuma pointed out.
Hesaid Rwandans, by overwhelmingly voting for female parliamentarians, arereposing great confidence in the abilities of women.
"Peoplevoted for women in greater numbers and I think they were voting for the bestrepresentatives they could think of. So, if it turns out that women are even ingreater numbers than men, then you know it's kind of surprising, but at thesame time we feel proud of ourselves," he said.
Kanumasaid after the 1994 genocide in which scores of Rwandans were killed with womenreportedly the most affected, the government came out with policies to promotegender equality.
"Rwandahas some progressive laws, especially on gender equality and women empowerment.And it has really been a process, which has made girls so empowered even beforethis, and this is going to make them more confident of themselves and moreready to throw their hats in the ring as far as matter so the office areconcerned and vying for offices. You can see that women are setting themselvesever in so many ways and this is really good for the society," Kanuma noted.
Hereiterates that women were at the receiving end of the country's recentlyviolent era.
"Ithink it is good on another level, and that is women tended to suffer a lot ofhorrible crimes especially during the genocide. But let me tell you that theissue of electing them was more of something to do with merits, and they aregoing to feel meritorious as time goes on, and you can just see that it's goingto be good," he said.
Kanumasaid Rwandans are aware that women play a major role in every aspect of thesociety, including the various arms of government.
"Thedynamics are simple, you have a society here that recognizes that you cannotpossibly leave the other half of your population and leave them out of thepolitical process. That is not possible. So, you have to put in place anenabling environment and encourage even more women to vie for high office. So,that is the only real dynamic here. If I may add if we carry out acomprehensive census today, I think you would find out that women actuallymight be outnumbering men. Now, no one has the exact figures as of now, butimagine leaving such a segment of the population out of high office, out ofpolitical decision-making, and it doesn't make sense. So, women have to beincluded, they have to be encouraged in all ways. And once they are encouragedand they come out, you will find out that they are actually as talented asmen," Kanuma said.