Engendering Rwanda’s Decentralization: Supporting Women Candidates for Local Office
In May 2003 Rwanda ratified a constitution that established a 30 percent quota for women’s participation in all “decision-making organs.” Quotas like this are of critical importance for increasing women’s representation in local government. The interpretation of those quotas, however, is equally important. This publication presents a review of the literature on women and local government, outlines the ongoing decentralization process in Rwanda, and shows how Inclusive Security’s training program helped prepare women to overcome obstacles to their participation that remain despite the quota.
