Gender equality in Rwanda
[11] In one significant change, women have been given the same right as men to inherit land and in other factors like in some government posts, the military, and education.
This code allows women to be able to open bank accounts in their own name, appear in court regarding their matrimonial property, and use their own name when involved in administrative actions.
Social worker Godeliève Mukasarasi realized this injustice and gathered rape survivors from genocide to testify their stories in Parliament.
[14] Godelieve Mukasarasi also started a program called "SEVOTA" to help women and children impacted by rape and genocide processed through trauma.
Her program uses the arts and small group fellowship to help women and children share their experiences and break the stigma around sexual violence.
"SEVOTA" gives Rwandan women and survivors the tools to speak out about rape and sexual assault, with the aim to remove societal shame and bring empowerment.
[17] This document was crafted after the atrocities of the Rwandan genocide and focuses on how gender-based violence played a role in the conflict.
The resolution details how women need to have an active voice in their respective governments, deserve defense from sexual assault and rape, need legal protections against gender-based attacks, and should be offered inclusivity in emergency aid programs.
Most countries put Resolution 1325 into action through nation specific plans and commitments to end gender based violence.
[21] The national action plan also worked on relations between the genders after genocide and generating economic sustainability for women throughout the country.
[6] The measured success of the national action plan did not have tangible results specifically correlated to the resolution.
The Aikiah Institute is the first all-female college in Rwanda and supports equality between genders by "preparing their students to be the future of the nation.
[22] Social norms also cause girls to be expected to remain home and help their mothers with their domestic chores, while boys are sent to get their educations.
[7] Also, it is found that passing senior secondary examinations and being admitted into state universities is more likely to happen among boys than girls and due to this, places in higher education for women, even though 50% is supposed to be reserved for them, is only at a little over 30%.
Also, some victims will withdraw their complaints and want their husbands to be removed from police custody because the men primary income and heads of their families.
[34] A study done by BioMed Central analyzes the rates of intimate partner violence throughout Rwanda after the genocide, specifically in the years 2005 and 2010.
Additionally, there was a sharp increase in female political leaders after the genocide in 2003, challenging strict gender roles throughout the country.
BioMed Central also found that the rates of intimate partner violence could possibly have increased due to the visible amounts of powerful women in Rwandan society.
The data shows that even though the state of Rwanda took an active stance against intimate partner violence, the societal standards for women were still in line with traditional gender roles.
This study also proves that to fully eradicate gender-based violence, change must come from Rwandan society as well as implemented policy.
In 2018, Rwandan women make eighty-eight cents to a man's dollar,[37] which puts Rwanda as number 25 for economic equality among genders.
