Gender Reform in Rwanda: Change Spurred by Tragedy

Rwanda is among Africa’s leaders in providing equal opportunity between women and men in the economy. Progress in achieving this substantial progress towards equality came on the back of tragedy: the civil war that engulfed Rwanda in the early 1990s and resulted in nearly a million lives lost. We document the legal steps towards equality in property rights, labour force participation and social rights and attribute these steps to specific political developments. This case study of gender reform highlights the long and tortuous process towards women’s freedom.

Download