{"id":1453161,"date":"2025-11-13T09:34:41","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T08:34:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ie.edu\/insights\/?post_type=articles&p=1453161"},"modified":"2025-11-13T09:34:41","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T08:34:41","slug":"women-and-peacebuilding-lessons-from-rwanda","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/www.ie.edu\/insights\/articles\/women-and-peacebuilding-lessons-from-rwanda\/","title":{"rendered":"Women and Peacebuilding: Lessons from Rwanda"},"featured_media":1453162,"template":"","meta":{"_has_post_settings":[]},"schools":[],"areas":[493],"subjects":[419],"class_list":["post-1453161","articles","type-articles","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","areas-gender-equality","subjects-global-affairs"],"custom-fields":{"wpcf-article-leadin":["Rwandan women led their nation\u2019s recovery after the 1994 genocide, showing that inclusion and resilience can transform tragedy into lasting peace, writes Dayanara Gonz\u00e1lez."],"wpcf-article-body":["April 2025, \u201cKwibuka 31<\/a>\u201d,\u00a0<\/strong>marked the 31st<\/sup> anniversary of the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Kwibuka<\/em> means \u201cto remember.\u201d It is essential to remember this dark chapter of human history: one hundred bloody days in which war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide were committed, resulting in the murder of between 800,000 and 1 million Tutsis and moderate Hutus<\/a> in 1994 - a killing rate four times higher than that observed at the peak of the Nazi Holocaust<\/a>.\r\n\r\nHate speech and sexual violence were key elements of this genocide. Women were used as a means of humiliation and systematic extermination of the Tutsi through sexual violence. There are discrepancies in the number of total rapes during and after the genocide, but it is estimated that between 250,000 and 500,000 rapes occurred<\/a>. The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda<\/a>\u00a0was the first to recognize rape in international criminal law as an act of perpetrating genocide.\r\n\r\nDespite this horrifying context, women in Rwanda took the lead in their country's peacebuilding process. It is known that armed conflicts affect women and children differently; however, recognition of women\u2019s contributions to conflict resolution remains limited. At a time when women\u2019s rights are being rolled back \u2013 from Afghanistan to parts of the United States \u2013 the experience of Rwanda can help us to remember what inclusive leadership can achieve, even in the aftermath of atrocity.\r\n\r\nTo begin with, it is important to understand the concept of \u201cpeacebuilding.\u201d It was proposed by Johan Galtung<\/a>, the principal theorist behind peace and conflict studies, in 1976. According to Galtung, peacebuilding involves removing the roots of conflict and establishing peace as a durable social structure. The United Nations later adopted this concept, along with others such as \u201cpeacekeeping\u201d and \u201cpeacemaking,\u201d within its activities.\r\n\r\nPeacebuilding gained recognition through the 1992 report of the former Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, \u201cAn Agenda for Peace<\/a>,\u201d where it was defined as \u201caction to identify and support structures which will tend to strengthen and solidify peace in order to avoid a relapse into conflict.\u201d The UN finally linked women\u2019s involvement to the Peace and Security agenda for the first time in 2000 through the adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325<\/a>).\r\n\r\nPeacebuilding is a complex and long process with three main characteristics<\/a>: national ownership (citizens and governments assume responsibility for this process); national capacity development (so as not to depend on external assistance); and a common strategy (coordination among all stakeholders toward agreed objectives).\r\n\r\nWomen should occupy a central role in post-conflict societies, both as decision-makers and peace negotiators, rather than being perceived merely as victims. Their engagement contributes to long-term democratic, economic, and social stability. In Rwanda, the genocide provoked a major demographic shift. Women and girls, including many who returned from exile in neighboring countries, became 70% of the population<\/a>. They began to assume non-traditional roles across social, political, and economic spheres.\r\n\r\nAt the social level, Rwandan women were at the forefront of finding homes for orphans and separated children, constructing houses for refugees, and convincing relatives to disassociate themselves from insurgent<\/a> and rebel activities. Women became visible in professions such as bank tellers, mechanics, and drivers. The increase in women farmers\u2019 leadership in agricultural cooperatives led to a rise in production yield, which has contributed to strengthened national food security.\r\n
When peacebuilding incorporates a gender perspective from the outset, its chances of success increase dramatically.<\/blockquote>\r\nIt\u2019s important to note that the mental and physical trauma experienced by women makes their role in the peacebuilding process even more complex. Rwandan women organized self-help groups specifically for women to address psychosocial challenges and share experiences, while promoting interethnic reconciliation<\/a>. The Rwandan Association of Women in the Media (ARFEM) was established to promote \u201can informed and resourceful society by empowering women journalists through professional development\u201d and through the 1997 radio program \u201cWomen,\u201d<\/a> they campaigned against wartime rape and accompanied members of Parliament to shelters for survivors of sexual violence in order to raise public awareness.\r\n\r\nWomen also advocated for reforms to property and inheritance laws that had historically benefited only men. Widows organized movements to fight for equal rights on this matter. Today, women in Rwanda have the legal right to inherit land,<\/a> and both women and men must be present during property registration. In general, women now face fewer restrictions in accessing resources, with community loans and revenue-generating cooperatives providing important sources of income.\r\n\r\nAdditionally, in the public sector, women emerged as leaders. Aloisea Inyumba<\/a>, appointed Minister for Gender and Family Promotion, became the first executive secretary of the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission. She drew the attention of international donors for establishing a nationwide women\u2019s movement based on local former administrative structures, with women-led groups in every neighborhood.\r\n\r\nIn the legal sphere, post-genocide Rwanda developed a three-tier judicial system: the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, the national system, and the Gacaca<\/em> courts \u2013 a traditional conflict-resolution mechanism where communities elected judges to hear cases of genocide suspects, excluding those accused of planning the genocide. These local courts promoted reconciliation and, for the first time, women served as judges<\/a>.\r\n\r\nWomen\u2019s organizations and movements within the Collectifs Pro Femmes Twese Hamwe umbrella organization were instrumental in ensuring that women\u2019s rights and equality principles were included in the 2003 Constitution, approved by referendum. This Constitution<\/a> set aside 20 of the 80 seats in the Chamber of Deputies for women and mandated that at least 30% of decision-making positions be held by women. For many years, Rwanda has been the only country in the world with a female majority in parliament \u2013 and in 2025, 63.75% in the Chamber of Deputies and 53.8% in the Senate<\/a>.\r\n\r\nDespite these achievements, challenges remain. The Rwandan government has adopted two National Action Plans for the implementation of UNSCR 1325 (2009-2012<\/a>) and (2018-2022<\/a>). Both conclude that while Rwanda has developed a strong legal framework and gender equality policies, many programs still depend on external aid. Plus, women\u2019s involvement remains concentrated at the local level; greater representation is needed in high-level positions and fields such as security and defense.\r\n\r\nI had the opportunity to talk with two experts on this topic: Salimatou Fatty, a lawyer from The Gambia and human rights activist, and, Alice Nsabimana, a Rwandese-Belgian international mediator whose father died in the attack on President Habyarimana\u2019s plane. When discussing peacebuilding and women\u2019s involvement, Salimatou Fatty noted that women are seen as stabilizers \u2013 those most willing to start reconciliation processes. However, she emphasized that women\u2019s inclusion in negotiation and decision-making is still limited, and their voices are frequently sidelined. Salimatou also remarked that in many African countries, including her own, women\u2019s participation is largely restricted to the community level. Regarding Rwanda, she observed that the country stands out in Africa for its development in infrastructure and economy, and gender equality \u2013 viewing it as a positive step because when something works in one African country, the others in the region try to replicate it.\r\n\r\nOn the other hand, Alice Nsabimana believes that although Rwanda has succeeded in many areas, justice and reconciliation remain only partially achieved. She argues that \u201cthere are many traumas that have not been addressed,\u201d but adds \u201cwe don't talk about ethnicity anymore. We don't say: I'm Hutu or Tutsi. So, this is something that was banished. And it's a good thing because what is most important is to be Rwandan.\u201d\r\n\r\nAt this point, Alice emphasized the role of women in society: \u201cRwandese women are doing great in Rwanda and outside. Women have continued the role of being the\u2026backbone of the family\u2026they have an important role in the society in Rwanda and in the diaspora, that contributes to the development of the society.\u201d She recalled that her mother, who was 43 in 1994, is the reflection of many other women who had to find livelihoods for their children. Rwandan women have been resilient, as evident in their willingness to take on all kinds of jobs, even those that others did not want.\r\n\r\nThis is not meant to imply that women can or should build peace on their own. Conversely, Rwanda\u2019s example demonstrates how indispensable women\u2019s active participation is in rebuilding trust and institutions.\r\n\r\nThe Rwandan genocide left a profound mark on regional and global history due to the speed and scale of the atrocities, the role of media in disseminating hate speech, and the targeted use of sexual violence against women. Following the genocide, women have been essential to the reconstruction of Rwanda\u2019s social fabric. From rebuilding communities to reforming laws and leading political institutions, Rwandan women have helped to shape one of Africa\u2019s most stable and forward-looking nations.\r\n\r\nThe lessons from Rwanda reveal that women\u2019s leadership and inclusion are not afterthoughts of recovery, but at its foundation. When peacebuilding incorporates a gender perspective from the outset, its chances of success increase dramatically. The process seeks to create conditions for lasting peace and strengthen long-term institutional capacity. In Rwanda, after the genocide, women assumed non-traditional roles that elevated their status, transformed community perceptions, and promoted peace and reconciliation. Amid global conflict and polarization, Rwanda attests that peacebuilding thrives when women are recognized as contributors and architects of the process.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\u00a9 IE Insights."],"wpcf-audio-article":["https:\/\/www.ie.edu\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/PlayAI_Women_and_Peacebuilding_Lessons_from.mp3"],"wpcf-article-extract":["Rwandan women led their nation\u2019s recovery after the 1994 genocide, showing that inclusion and resilience can transform tragedy into lasting peace, writes Dayanara Gonz\u00e1lez."],"wpcf-article-extract-enable":["1"]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ie.edu\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/articles\/1453161","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ie.edu\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/articles"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ie.edu\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/articles"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ie.edu\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1453162"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ie.edu\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1453161"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"schools","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ie.edu\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/schools?post=1453161"},{"taxonomy":"areas","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ie.edu\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/areas?post=1453161"},{"taxonomy":"subjects","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ie.edu\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/subjects?post=1453161"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}