Rwanda

The Forum for Women parliamentarians celebrates its 10th Anniversary (1996- 2006)

On 9th and 10th October 2006, the Forum of Rwandan Women Parliamentarians (FFRP) celebrated its 10th anniversary. On that occasion, a two-day national conference was held at the Rwanda Parliamentary Buildings in Kigali with the support of UNDP.
The ceremony was officially opened by the President of the Senate, Honorable Dr Vincent Biruta and attended by several dignitaries including Cabinet ministers, members of parliament, diplomats, local leaders, development partners, as well as members of the private sectors.
Speeches were given by the President of the Forum of Rwandan Women Parliamentarians, Honorable Judith Kanakuze, the Minister of Gender and Family Promotion, Mrs. Valerie Nyirahabineza, and the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Mr. Alain Noudéhou.

Established in 1996, the Forum of Rwandan Women Parliamentarians (FFRP) is a consultative mechanism for facilitating gender integration within the Parliament. The Forum’s mission is to contribute actively to the realization of the mission of the Parliament while supervising the Gender integration at all levels. The Forum started with only 12 members but now has 48 members and is credited for successfully advocating for greater participation of women and a 30% constitutional allocation for women at every decision-making level.

Today Rwanda has the highest number of women parliamentarians in the world with women constituting 48.8% in the Chamber of Deputies and 34.6% in the Senate. The Government of Rwanda also has 34% of women in its Cabinet.

Much has been achieved in the post-genocide transition phase (1996-2003). The young Forum of Rwandan Women Parliamentarians based its activities on advocating for the removal of all constraints to women emancipation and building the capacity of women parliamentarians. The main achievements are:
- Advocacy towards bringing all gender-committed during the Genocide into the first category of crimes (the highest level)
- Women access to inheritance provided for in the 1999 law on matrimonial regimes, liberalities and successions
- Contributions in the preparation of a major research on the role of women in high-decision organs.

During the post-transition period (2003-2006), the FFRP built on the transition period achievements, and developed a five-year strategic plan (2005-2009) that has been fully incorporated and endorsed by the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate in their own plans.
In addition to this, the Forum achieved the following:
- Continued capacity building with regard to gender issues, leadership, international politics, IT, legal drafting and analysis, and bilingualism among others
- Exchange programs and video conferences with sister parliaments
- Commitment to fighting gender-based violence
- Organization of seminars and conferences to fight the genocide ideology and support the Gacaca process
- Organization of seminars and conferences to build the Rwandan family as the foundation for the unity of Rwandans
- Establishment of a gender monitoring desk in the Parliament
- Continued dialogue with all women groups (private and public sectors, local leaders, religious bodies, army and police, women from rural areas)
- Women representation (average 40%) in the decision-making process from the local authorities to all government bodies.
- Review of existing laws protecting the rights of women, the loopholes and gaps in current legislation, and the need for new laws.
- Gender-based control of Government action and budget
- Revision of statutes and elaboration of a procedures manual
- Retreat for all members

During the two-day event, founding members and chairpersons of the Forum were recognized and rewarded.
The Forum of Rwanda Women Parliamentarians (FFRP) is planning to hold in February 2007 an international conference to share with the world the experience and meaning of having the greatest number of women MP in the world.