On International Women's Day, the UAE & Rwanda reaffirm commitment to gender equality as "basic right"

As the globe celebrates International Women's Day, Rwanda joins the United Arab Emirates and the rest of the world in highlighting the incredible advancements made in gender equality.

The occasion for the event comes as efforts to advance gender equality in the two friendly nations continue to gain traction. Rwanda and the United Arab Emirates are two of the six nations having gender parity in their lower or single house as of January 1, 2023, according to the Women in Parliament 2022 Report of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

"Rwanda and UAE share a commitment to gender equality, and our two countries continue to be gender champions in their respective regions and globally, as indicated in the Inter-Parliamentary Union 2022 report," said Emmanuel Hategeka, Ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda to the United Arab Emirates, in a statement about Women's Day. 

The long-standing goal of our two nations includes gender equality, and it is supported by strong leadership. Gender equality is a basic right and the cornerstone of equitable and inclusive development, as this International Women's Day serves as a reminder.

With robust legislation and regulatory frameworks, Rwanda and the UAE have liberated the potential of women. The constitution of Rwanda stipulates that at least 30% of women must make up decision-making institutions. 

Rwanda now holds the title of the nation with the greatest percentage of female lawmakers (61.3%) in the world. On the other hand, the UAE's remarkable dedication to gender equality is demonstrated by the President's decision mandating that Emirati women hold 50% of the seats in the Federal National Council (Parliament).

After the 145th IPU Assembly in Kigali, Rwanda, parliamentarians from all over the globe endorsed the Kigali Declaration for gender equality, which will regard gender-sensitive parliaments as agents of change for a more durable and peaceful world.

Rwanda’s journey of women's empowerment

After the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, Rwanda put gender equality at the centre of sustainable development for over three decades. The nation views gender equality more as a tactic for inclusive growth, responsible leadership, and observance of human rights. 

Gender equality is ingrained in several legal systems for this reason, starting with the Constitution, which places respect for gender equality high among its guiding values. Equal rights for men and women are outlined in the Republic of Rwanda's 2003 Constitution, which was updated in 2015. 

In addition, the Law governing matrimonial regimes, donations, and succession guarantees equal inheritance rights for boys and girls as well as equitable property management among married couples. Likewise, the Law governing land in Rwanda ensures that men and women have the same access to, ownership of, and use of land.

The government has fought for universal access to opportunities in the fields of education, health care, and employment. The efforts have paid off, and according to the 2015 Global Competitiveness Report, Rwanda is the sixth-best country in the world and the greatest location in Africa for women. 

According to the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2022, it is the first African nation to close the gender gap. During peacekeeping deployments, Rwandan women's contributions to security have been beyond national boundaries. One of the top nations sending policewomen to serve as peacekeepers in UN operations is Rwanda.

Promoting and upholding gender equality and fairness is a lifelong endeavour, both in Rwanda and throughout the world. Many prejudices and misconceptions still need to be eradicated.

"Despite all the progress made towards gender equality, there are still widespread gender stereotypes and biases in the workplace, as well as gender-based career orientation biases and behavioural biases that must be eliminated starting at the family level and moving up to the national and international levels," said Ambassador Emmanuel Hategeka.