Empowering women and promoting gender equality is crucial to accelerating sustainable development. Ending all forms of discrimination against women and girls is not only a basic human right, but it also has a multiplier effect across all other development areas.

The promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women is central to the mandate of UNDP and intrinsic to its development approach. This effort includes advocating for women’s and girls’ equal rights, combatting discriminatory practices and challenging the roles and stereotypes that affect inequalities and exclusion.

The Government of Rwanda has built a strong foundation of gender equality by making it one of the fundamental principles guiding the constitution. “Building a state governed by the rule of law, a pluralistic democratic government, and equality of all Rwandans and between women and men reflected by ensuring that women are granted at least thirty per cent of posts in decision making organs”. The adoption of this principle was made to fill the gap in the role and potential of women and men to contribute to the country’s development.

There is no doubt at all that the ongoing SDGs gap analysis and subsequent prioritization and full domestication of the agenda 2030 will dedicate a special focus on the call for parity. I am confident that with the support of One UN Rwanda Team, Rwanda will Step It up more than any other country for Gender Equality. – Lamin M. Manneh.

A number Joint Programmes and initiatives on gender equality are supported under the One UN: Delivering as One, as well as the UNDP Rwanda through its programs in Democratic Governance and Peace Consolidation, Poverty Reduction and Environment and Energy.  Two outcomes of the UNDAP (2013-2018) has dedicated a significant importance on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment.

Outcome 1.4: Sustainable urbanization process transforms the quality of livelihoods and promotes skills development and decent employment opportunities in both urban and rural areas, especially for youth and women

Outcome 2.2: Human rights, justice and gender equality promoted and implemented at all levels.

While Gender Mainstreaming in given high importance in all programmes and projects of UNDP Rwanda, it is specifically supporting Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment through the following projects and initiatives:

• The Joint Intervention with UN Women to strengthen the National Gender Machinery
• Economic growth and Inclusive Financial Support for Women through Building Inclusive Financial Sector in Rwanda (BIFSIR)
• The Youth Mentorship Programme focused on empowering young women and girls with necessary life skills with Imbuto Foundation
• Targeted support to legal services for most vulnerable women
• Organization and facilitation of women’s wing in political parties
• Youth Employment Programme
• Capacity building of the Rwanda National Police, RNP in Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment 
• Capacity building of the Media High Council, MHC and facilitating Gender Strategy for the media
• Gender Audit for the Justice Sector 
• Validation of National Gender Strategic Plan
• Establishment of national gender cluster