Women’s Empowerment and Development: The Contribution of Parliamentary Gender Quotas and the Case of Rwanda

As Parliamentary gender quotas have become increasingly popular, so too
has the debate surrounding their effectiveness in enhancing women’s
representation and gender equality in governments around the world. Women offer
unique and important perspectives to the political process, and thus their increased
political representation and empowerment can advance the very process of
development. In 2003, the Rwandan government Constitutionally enacted a gender
quota, requiring at least 30 percent representation of women in all areas of decisionV
making, including Parliament. By 2010, Rwandan women MPs surpassed the quota’s
requirement and represented 57 percent of Parliament. What must be determined is
whether Rwanda’s gender quota and resulting increased number of women MPs has
contributed to an increase in the number and effectiveness of womenVfocused laws
and policies. I will examine the number of womenVfocused laws in Rwanda pre and
post quota, consider their implementation mechanisms, and use statistical data and
interviews with Rwandan MPs to analyze the implementation and effectiveness of
these laws. We will find womenVfocused legislation has increased significantly in
Rwanda since the quota, but that the quota is just one of several driving forces
behind Rwandan women MPs’ political empowerment. A willing government,
Proportional Representation electoral system, Constitutionally entrenched gender
quota, and the results of Rwanda’s civil war and genocide will all be determined
contributing factors. However, we will find Rwanda’s history of a strong preV
genocide and preVquota women’s movement has ultimately been the driving force
behind women’s progress in Parliament, once again enforcing the ageVold adage that
authentic development and empowerment must truly emanate from the bottom up.
has the debate surrounding their effectiveness in enhancing women’s
representation and gender equality in governments around the world. Women offer
unique and important perspectives to the political process, and thus their increased
political representation and empowerment can advance the very process of
development. In 2003, the Rwandan government Constitutionally enacted a gender
quota, requiring at least 30 percent representation of women in all areas of decisionV
making, including Parliament. By 2010, Rwandan women MPs surpassed the quota’s
requirement and represented 57 percent of Parliament. What must be determined is
whether Rwanda’s gender quota and resulting increased number of women MPs has
contributed to an increase in the number and effectiveness of womenVfocused laws
and policies. I will examine the number of womenVfocused laws in Rwanda pre and
post quota, consider their implementation mechanisms, and use statistical data and
interviews with Rwandan MPs to analyze the implementation and effectiveness of
these laws. We will find womenVfocused legislation has increased significantly in
Rwanda since the quota, but that the quota is just one of several driving forces
behind Rwandan women MPs’ political empowerment. A willing government,
Proportional Representation electoral system, Constitutionally entrenched gender
quota, and the results of Rwanda’s civil war and genocide will all be determined
contributing factors. However, we will find Rwanda’s history of a strong preV
genocide and preVquota women’s movement has ultimately been the driving force
behind women’s progress in Parliament, once again enforcing the ageVold adage that
authentic development and empowerment must truly emanate from the bottom up.