-
The Convention on the protection and assistance of internally displaced
persons in Africa, adopted in Kampala, Uganda on October 2009.21
106. There have been several meetings on the Northern Corridor partnership
for some EAC member countries. Recent being that which was held in
Kampala in April 2016 and before it was one in March 2015 Rwanda hosted
the 9th Northern Corridor Integration Summit. During such meetings; Kenya,
Uganda and Rwanda agree to have one standard gauge railway, single
customs territory, oil refinery development, waiver of work permit fees for
citizens of the three nations to totally liberalise labour and services. These are
positive moves towards promotion of free movement of goods and services
within the East African region.
Article 13: The Right to Participate in Public Affairs and Access to Public
Property and Services
107. The right to vote, to be elected and to participate in elections on the basis of
universal suffrage and to take part in the conduct of public affairs is a right
for every Rwandan national22 to be exercised without discrimination on the
ground of colour, race, nation, nationality, sex, language, religion, political or
other opinion or other status. The National Electoral Commission23 provided
guidelines that ensured more equal participation of women and men. The
Commission organized and carried out civic and voter education with
specific sessions targeting women and youth.
108. As a result, Rwanda leads the world in terms of women’s representation in
parliament, with 64% in 2014. Women also account for 50% of the judiciary,
40% of Cabinet members, 40%24 of Provincial Governors, 43.2% of district
council members and 83.3% of Vice Mayors in charge of social affairs. 25 This
increased presence of women in leadership and decision-making forums. It
has had a double effect of entrenching gender equality in development
processes and changing the mind set and patriarchal attitudes towards
21
The Presidential order No 121/01of 15/12/2011. Ratifying the African Union Convention for the Protection and
Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala Convention)
22
Article 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of Rwanda of 2003 revised in 2015
23
The proportion has increased from 25% to 40% due to the recent nomination of a female Governor in the
Western Province
25 NISR and GMO, National Gender Statistics Report 2013
24
Page 38 of 105