89. As already stated above, the Government of Rwanda has promoted
equal rights for men and women, girls and boys in employment. As a
result women are increasingly embracing traditionally male dominated
employment such as fishing, beekeeping, carpentry, mining and solar
energy production. This not only addresses the issue of poverty by
increasing women’s income but also breaks gender stereotypes and
shows that women are as capable as men in the economic arena. This
improved economic situation of women and their households also
enhances their social status in the community and increases their
opportunities in decision-making at local and central level.
Article 14: Health and Reproductive Rights
90. A number of strategies adopted have had notable impact. They include
the Universal Community Health Insurance scheme (Mutuelle de santé)
that renders quality health care affordable for the poor, especially
women, for a minimal annual contribution of less than US$ 5. The
Government has also invested in improving access and proximity to
health services. The Government has launched an intensive
construction of health centres with a target for every citizen to have
access to health facilities within one-hour walking distance and at least
one health centre at every administrative Sector (Umurenge) which
succeeded in 2015. This improved proximity has increased utilization of
modern health services, especially for pregnant women, supported by
other initiatives such as improving ambulance services at district level
and mobile and outreach clinic services.
91. About 98% of Rwandan women now receive antenatal care from a
skilled provider and over 69 % of Rwandan births occur in health
facilities, assisted by a skilled provider. In addition, the increase use of
mobile technologies and rapid SMS for emergency labour and other
medical complications have resulted in considerable decrease of
maternal and infant mortality rates. Mass education and information
dissemination are carried out through different media, including radio
and television programmes and theatre. Popular long-running radio
plays such as Urunana and Musekeweya pass on critical information and
behavior change messages, including adolescent sexual and
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