Creating space for women in public life

Attending the National Security Symposium 2023 on ‘contemporary security challenges: the African Perspective’, changed my  perspective of Rwanda and challenged my assumptions about the country. In a four-part series, I look at some specific areas where Rwanda seems to have done well, and the implications. Part three looks at women in public life.

I took a two-week break from the perspectives on Rwanda to mourn my aunt, the late Lady Justice Mary Stella Arach-Amoko of the Supreme Court in Uganda, who died on June 17. As I write this week’s column, I am in Nebbi District to attend her burial. It is a great day to reflect on women in public life.

At the symposium, there was no gender talk or panel addressing women’s role in governance and development. And no youth and children’s affairs either. One might find this an omission of great proportions. For a country that has done well at the global level and a leader on the continent when it comes to gender indicators, this was surprising.

Yet, there is no mistake about this. Rwanda it may seem, has transcended the conversation on women’s empowerment to living it. I had lunch with a gentleman who consults for one of the global advocates for women’s empowerment in Rwanda. He told me how challenging it was to get funding for women in Rwanda because they are doing way too well to qualify for some of the funding options. What a good problem to have any day. 

Women’s participation in public life has become part of their way of life. It is the Rwandan culture. For instance, there were several panels with women. They demonstrated just how deliberate, Rwanda has been in engaging women like many of our countries. In many places conversations about security tends to exclude women, not in Rwanda.

The difference between Rwanda and some countries pushing the gender agenda is this, they get some of the best women in the pool to get the job done. Judging by the women who participated in the security symposium from Rwanda’s governing system alone, one would appreciate why they are leaders.

I have noted elsewhere, that I felt very strongly that perhaps President Kagame is not afraid of hanging out with the most brilliant people, and actually listens to them. I got that sense listening to the Minister of ICT and innovation, Ms Paula Ingabire Musoni, talk innovation.

Listening to her gives you the satisfaction, that she is not there because she is a woman. She is there I am told because she is among the best brains in ICT. I learnt that Ms Ingabire is a daughter of an influential Rwandan. But she has earned her keep in the government. There is nothing most children of influential people in Rwanda take for granted. They too must be fit for purpose and up to the task. Ms Ingabire is very articulate, assertive and knowledgeable to the core on ICT,  which is perhaps one of the reasons discussing gender is unnecessary.

I did wonder how many ministers of ICT across the continent would have such level-headed conversations about the future of digital technologies in Africa, the role of regulation from the continent and how to leverage the benefits of ICTs without relying on their technical team. I dare not make comparisons. 

It is only when we give space for women to excel professionally and in politics that we will begin to make public life a safe space for women. Many countries have generally accepted that women have a lot to offer and pursue both closing the gender gap goals and empowerment of women aspirations. Many gender policies and country constitutions give women specific rights, including participation in public life. Yet, many have ended up in a place where majority of women hardly belong on the table, are ridiculed and incapable of claiming their space on the table. 

For women in politics, this has been particularly challenging while women in other areas of public sphere where merit dictates their participation has seen some real progress. Some of our woes have been blamed on affirmative action and its attendant failings, especially in ensuring belonging on the table. 

A recent ruling of the Supreme Court in the United States of America on affirmative action is opening doors for more meaningful conversations on the subject. Rwanda has taught us that it is possible to engage women meaningfully.  That it is possible to move beyond symbolic representation and presence, the idea that there are women on the table, to substantive and active participation.  While having a token helps, real results come from spreading the gains to larger constituencies beyond politics.

Ms Maractho (PhD) is the director of Africa Policy Centre and senior lecturer at Uganda Christian University.                       [email protected]