Rising Because They Have To

In 1994, Rwanda lost a huge portion of its male population when the ruling Hutu government murdered 500,000 to 1 million of its citizens, including an estimated 77 percent of the Tutsi population. The genocide left an enormous void, widened by the number of Rwandans who had fled or been imprisoned — and women stepped up to fill it.

Nearly a quarter century later, the country’s leadership is overwhelmingly female. Rwanda has more women parliamentarians than any other nation in the world, and almost half of its judges and presidential cabinet members are female. In the same short time, Rwanda has forged progressive health, education, gender equity, and environmental policies.

Read the full article in The Harvard Gazette »

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