Many countries are spending time and resources establishing policies that empower their women. When looking for "proof" of the impact of those policies on the economy, Rwanda comes up as the prime example.
After the slaughter of ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus by Hutu lilitias, Rwanda was left with a population that was 60% female. To make matters worse, thousand of men were jailed for war crimes, or living as refugees in Congo, so women – at first by default – took roles in business and politics. Today, women hold about 48% of the seats in Rwanda’s parliament, which is the highest percentage in the world. And they are now about 50% of the farmers in the local coffee cooperative but get this…. they produce 90% of their finest beans for export in the cooperative.
In the 14 years since the genocide, this country is probably the leading example of how empowering women can transform economies and reduce poverty levels. Why is that? research has shown that women more than men invest their profits in the family, increasing nutrition, savings, and spending more on their children’s education.
The other significant output of this transformation is not only of economic value, but of cultural value. As there is now a whole generation of young men and women with a completely different view of the role their mothers and sisters play in society.
Filed under: Women Empowerment and Economics
