1. Gender as a Cross Cutting Issue
Central to Good Governance
Induction Training, RIAM November 2006
Dr Shirley Randell & Restituta Mukantagara
April 5, 2017

2. Gender as a cross cutting issue
Rationale for strong emphasis on gender in Rwanda
Poverty Reduction
Economic Development
Good Governance

3. What are the international, regional and local contexts that have led to gender being recognised as central to poverty reduction, economic development and good governance

4. International Context
CEDAW – Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women
Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA)
Millennium Development Goals, particularly MDG3, Gender equality and women’s empowerment, but all – poverty, water, education, health etc

5. Regional Context
NEPAD objectives – eradicating long term disparities and promoting equality and equity between men and women
The Rights of Women in Africa is a Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’ Rights
The Solemn Declaration of African State Leaders (2004) expresses support for the parity principle
Rwanda soon to join the East African Community which also has gender priorities

6. National Context Constitution
- Article 9 of the Constitution states that: “30 percent of all decision-making structures shall be reserved for women
2003 Government commitment to gender issues and mainstreaming
Decentralisation policy
- favours representation of women at the various administrative levels
MIGEPROF and National Gender policy

7. National Context Vision 2020
Gender is a key aspect of Pillar 3 in the Government of Rwanda’s Vision 2020
Inclusion of gender will lead to effective implementation of all other pillars

8. Economic Development Poverty Reduction Strategy
Gender as a cross cutting issue is a key aspect of all planning for Rwanda’s EDPRS planning, including the 12 sector working groups
Gender is a critical component of HIV/AIDS which is also a major cross cutting issue in the EDPRS

9. Table 1 Status on International Indicators, Rwanda, 2005
HDI rank
(167 countries)
GDI rank
(140 countries)
GDI value
minus GDI rank
HDI value
159
122
0.447 1
0.45
HDI Human Development Index
GDI Gender Development Index

10. Table 2: Development Indicators in Rwanda by Sex
Development Indicators Female Male
Life expectancy at birth
Combined gross enrolment
ratio for primary, secondary
and tertiary levels 48.6% %
Adult literacy rate
(age 15 and above) % %
Estimated earned income
(PPP US $) $US $US1,583

11. Table 2: Development Indicators in Rwanda by Sex
Female Male
Women living below poverty line 65.3%
Total rate of economic activity 82.3% 93.5%
Employment in the
non-agricultural sector 24% n/a
Participation in tertiary education 39% 61%
Participation in Government
at Ministerial level % 64.3%
Participation in National Parliament 48% 52%

12. Challenges to the policy of gender as a cross cutting issue
Internationally and nationally the policy of mainstreaming gender in practice areas has seen gender issues neglected and slipping off the agenda.
There has been a reduction in the efforts to empower women, the other side of the coin to gender equality
There is very limited gender budgeting in planning and decision making processes
There is very limited gender auditing to assess progress

13. Challenges to the policy of gender as a cross cutting issue
There is a high demand from the national and district governments, civil society and women’s organisations in Rwanda for support in gender equality and women’s empowerment strategies and activities in addition to the gender mainstreaming/cross-cutting strategy.

14. Case Studies from SNV Experience
Training of Advisers to all be gender sensitive and able to implement gender principles in all practice areas
Preparing a manual for mainstreaming gender into Water, Sanitation and Health programs
Advocacy at national level for the inclusion of gender in the EDPRS

15. Case Study 1
SNV Rwanda advisers unfamiliar with gender concepts and practice
10 day, 30 hour interactive in-house gender and development course delivered
All practice areas prepare gender action plans
Significant progress made in integrating gender in NRM – biogas, RALG – education, MAP – honey, PPT
In-house gender committee established

20. Case Study 2: Training Manual for Mainstreaming Gender into WASH Programs
COFORWA approached SNV for gender training
of management and technicians
PROTOS approached SNV for gender training for coordinator
Field visit for focus groups
Gender training manual prepared incorporating chapters from SNV manual and new chapters on gender and water
Manual trialled with gender adviser - October
Manual to be trialled in field - November

23. Case Study 3: advocacy at national level - EDPRS
SNV approached MINECOFIN, UNIFEM, UNDP, DFID about engendering the EDPRS process
Together we called for a gender workshop for all Ministries and stakeholders in the EDPRS
We set up gender shadow Sector Working Groups to monitor the work of every SWG
SNV staff were invited to participate in SWGs and Shadow SWGs
- backward looking report on PRSP

24. Case Study 4: EDPRS (cont)
Cross-cutting issues SWG developed checklists for each of the four cross cutting issues, including gender
MIGEPROF, UNDP, UNIFEM/SNV national workshop on gender based policy analysis
Gender representatives attended each of the sector log frame exercises
The cross cutting issues SWG is now examining each log frame to ensure that gender is included appropriately

29. Tools for Mainstreaming Gender
The checklist for mainstreaming gender as a cross-cutting issue in the EDPRS
April 5, 2017
Dr Shirley Randell AM

30. Gender Subcommittee Parliament - FFRP Ministries – MIGEPROF, MINEDUC
Government agencies – NIS, NWC, NEPAD
Development partners – UNFEM, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, DFID, Canadian Corporation
NGOs – SNV, RWLC, RAUW, WWP, African Rights, Profemmes
Academic institutions – KIST, KHI, KIE

31. Gender Goal
By 2020, Rwandan women and men, girls and boys will have achieved equity of
- voice,
- participation and
- access
in every area of economic growth and poverty reduction represented in national policy and law.

32. Purpose By 2012, gender equality can be demonstrated, measured and verified using gender disaggregated national data to show that the country is on track to achieving:
Gender equality in halving the proportion of people living below the poverty line by 2015

33. Gender equality in reduced
income disparity (Gini coefficient, shares of the poorest quintile in national consumption)
Gender equality in increased GDP per capita US$
Gender equality within the increased average GDP growth rate (to 8%)
Gender equality in progress towards the MDGs

34. Five major areas Gender-disaggregated data collection and reporting
Reproductive health rights
Access to business and services
Law and policy on legal, social, economic opportunities and physical protection
Educational achievement

35. All sectors involved

36. Progress towards achieving gender equity
In Sectoral policies and their implementation, and in District plans and their implementation
- demonstrated by every Sector/ District in their returns to the EDPRS Annual Progress Review (APR).
Data and analysis to be presented in an annual composite national assessment of progress : > in the EDPRS APR,
> in the Joint Budget Support Review
> in the Minister of Finance’s presentation of the budget to Parliament.

37. Suggested Outputs
NIS: Gender-disaggregated data contained in all national surveys and reports by the National Institute of Statistics
Parliament/MIGEPROF: A new annual report: “Progress Towards Achieving Rwanda’s Commitment to its Women Citizens”.

38. Suggested Outputs (cont)
MIGEPROF or Gender Observatoire: resourced to collect, analyse and present national gender equity progress
All Sectors/ Districts: to establish gender-disaggregated data collections in their information systems for annual planning processes and annual reporting.

39. Suggested Outputs (cont)
NEPAD: to utilise this data and reporting
MINECOFIN: to ensure gender- disaggregated budget planning and execution data is available from all Sectors/ Districts.

40. Suggested Outputs (cont)
MINECOFIN: Terms of Reference/ instructions for APR to include gender in each Sectoral chapter and a gender summary page.
MINECOFIN: Gender-discussion to be scheduled for one of the annual Joint Budget Support Review meetings.

41. Women enabled to exercise their reproductive health rights
A reduction in the average number of children per woman from 6 to 5 by 2012 and to 4 by
A significantly increased contraceptive prevalence rate
A significant drop in the number of maternal deaths

42. Women enabled to exercise their reproductive health rights (cont)
A higher average age at which women have their first baby
Increased levels of female participation in the labour market, including formal sector employment

44. Suggested Outputs
MINISANTE: Increase the range of, and access to family planning methods
- contraceptive prevalence rate increased from 10.3% to over 50% in 2020
MINEDUC: Maintain equal numbers of girls and boys in education
– primary completion of 95% by 2012
100% by 2015
- enrolment in lower secondary
52% by 2012
62% by 2015
MIFOTRA: Reduce rate of youth unemployment/ underemployment by ½ within 5 years

45. Suggested Outputs (cont)
MIFOTRA: Strategies for female participation in formal employment and the labour market agreed by 2008
MIFOTRA: Reduce rate of women’s unemployment/ underemployment by ½ within 5 years

46. Suggested Outputs (cont)
MINISANTE: Reduce the rate of maternal mortality from 750/100,000 to 600 in 2010 and 200 in 2020
MINISANTE: Reduce the rate of infant mortality from 86/1000 to 80 in 2010 and 50 in 2020

47. Suggested Outputs (cont)
MINISANTE : Safe delivery and child-birth for women - increase births taking place with trained attendance from 31% to over 50% in 2011
MINISANTE: National Information campaigns – designed to praise smaller families, explain contraception, deliver messages on safe delivery, provide messages on risks to infant mortality.
MINALOC/MINEDUC: Increase in access to safe drinking water and to sanitation (including toilets in schools)

48. 3 Range of business and financial services expanded and differential levels of gender access addressed
Social Insurance extended in coverage (from 4% to 10% of population with full gender equity) by 2012.
Social Safety Nets made more equitable for the most vulnerable 10% of the population by 2012.

49. Business and Financial Services (cont)
Micro finance gap between men and women reduced by 75% by 2012
Revision of laws & policy to protect women’s ownership of land and other property
Number of women’s start-up businesses increased by 50% by 2012

51. Suggested Outputs
MINILOC: Formal Social Insurance coverage extended to over 10% of the population and equal participation by women and men by 2012.
MINECOFIN/BNR: Provision of, and access to micro-finance extended to give equality of access to women and men - 50% reduction in gap.

52. Suggested Outputs (cont)
MINECOFIN: Coverage of a Social Safety Net extended to equitable levels of support for the most vulnerable 10% of the population, with equal access to women
Private Sector/ New products identified and brought to the market to address women’s concerns for financial services.

53. Suggested Outputs (cont)
MINIJUST/MINITERE: Laws revised to grant women protected rights of ownership for land and other property, regardless of the status/ type of marriage.
MINAGRI: Recognise the contribution of women farmers and increase their technological skills
All Sectors: Strategies for sensitisation and awareness of differential access and the need for expansion of business and financial services identified and implemented

54. Policy and law on women’s legal, social, economic opportunities
By 2011, physical protection is completed, made effective and fully monitored on behalf of, and with the participation of, the mass of rural and urban women in Rwanda
- in order to set a road map
towards full and unequivocal
gender equity by 2020

56. Suggested Outputs
MINEDUC/MINIJUST: Literacy and legal literacy campaigns designed and launched by 2009
MIGEPROF: Public campaign on gender-based violence (GBV) designed and launched by 2008

57. Suggested Outputs (cont)
MINIJUST/MINADEF: Training for Police and Security Forces on countering GBV designed and launched by 2008
Investigation into participation / trafficking into the sex industry researched and appropriate policy action taken by 2009

58. Suggested Outputs (cont)
MINEDUC: Education investigates and designs measures to counter gender-based violence and gender-discrimination in schools and colleges by 2009
Parliament/MINILOC: MPs and Local Government Representatives are able to access, analyse and use national data to identify and implement gender-based policy initiatives by 2009

59. Suggested Outputs (cont)
MINECOFIN: Design of a ‘gender equity roadmap’ based on bottom-up consultation processes agreed and costed by ready for the 3rd national PRSP
All Sectors: support and help civil society organisations to increase their capacity to monitor and advocate for gender change

60. 5 Education Achievement
Girls’ position in educational achievement is improved
Young women achieve equity in completion of tertiary education and training
Adult women increase their functional literacy/education rates

62. Suggested Outputs
MINEDUC/MINELOC/MINITERE: Ensure that the physical environment (particularly school sanitation) in schools supports the continued attendance of girls and young women by 2010

63. Suggested Outputs (cont)
MINEDUC/MINELOC/NIS: Implement quality controls -
- data measurement
- improvements to the school curriculum
- improving school management (including parent teacher committees) and teacher role modelling;
- planning for and implementing a comprehensive gender equity education policy made fully operational by 2010

65. Suggested Outputs (cont)
MINEDUC/MINILOC: Functional adult literacy/education targets reviewed and made gender equitable - policy implemented and budget lines reviewed
MINEDUC: Introduce specific equity measures to increase the participation of women in tertiary education and training

66. Gender Goal
By 2020, Rwandan women and men, girls and boys will have achieved equity of
- voice,
- participation and
- access
to every area of economic growth and poverty reduction represented in national policy and law.