Monday, September 22, 2008
African media was replete with news of Women gaining political recognition in the recent parliamentary elections in Rwanda.
We picked up a few insights.
Rwandan women have set a new record in Africa and the world as a whole with women out numbering the men in the parliamentary elections held last Tuesday. The women pulled a whopping 56.25% of the votes. Rwandan parliament now has 44 women in the house, and the number could rise if the three seats reserved for the disabled and youth go to women.
This is the second parliamentary election since the genocide in 1994. Women voters are of the view that women are in a better position to understand the problems that women and children are facing and will trust them with their lives as it were to fight for them.
The country is making progress in almost every sector of the economy. Rwanda managed a 6 per cent growth last year and it can be that equal opportunities given women is going a long way to boost the country. There are others who are skeptical about women dominating the law making body and hope they will be able to pass efficient and effective laws.