Rwanda's role as world leader

2003-10-22 14:31

Geneva - Rwanda has the largest proportion of women in parliament world-wide following landmark elections this month, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) said Wednesday.

Rwanda jumped to first from 23rd to the top of an IPU ranking of women in parliament in 181 countries, knocking Sweden from its long-standing position in the top slot.

Women make up 48.8 percent of Rwanda's National Assembly following the elections in early October, the first since the 1994 genocide that claimed the lives of up to one million Tutsis and their Hutu sympathisers.

By comparison, the female presence in Sweden's parliament is 45 percent.

"We believe this is very salutary for the country as a whole," said IPU secretary general Anders Johnsson.Something special

"Women bring something special to legislative work. They have a different view of society than men do," he said, noting that they were particularly strong on social issues.

Johnsson hailed the Rwandan elections, despite concerns voiced by the European Union over irregularities.

"Considering where we come from with genocide 10 years ago they have gone through a long and arduous transition period," he said.

"They have now held elections, which may be imperfect, but nevertheless they have held peaceful elections and those the Rwandans themselves seem to accept."

Long-time leader Paul Kagame was elected president in a landslide, and his Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) won an absolute majority in parliament, in which women were guaranteed 24 seats under a new constitution.

Women won a further 15 non-reserved places, and they also hold six seats in the Senate.

"Women have fought hard to represent themselves," Johnsson said.

Now the question is how the high female presence will affect Rwandan politics, he added.

"The success of women in politics in the Nordic countries, for example, has long been attributed to a culture which fundamentally values the equality of women in all sectors of society," Johnsson said. "Time will tell if such a culture also takes root in Rwanda."

The current world average of women's participation in politics is 15.2 percent - one of the highest ever reached, the IPU said.

- AFP