Women, Peace and Security in Rwanda – Promises and Pitfalls
Publisher: The Nordic Africa Institute
Author(s): Diana Højlund Madsen
Date: 2020
Topics: Dispute Resolution/Mediation, Gender, Governance
Countries: Namibia, Rwanda
With its high level of female representation and its successful reconciliation process after the 1994 genocide, Rwanda has emerged as something of an African and global ‘model’ of gender equality and conflict resolution. But beyond the ‘politics of numbers’ lies a male-dominated structure, where women and feminist thinking have little or no influence. This policy note assesses how Rwanda has adopted UN Security Council Resolution 1325, and offers policy advice on how to break gender barriers in the traditionally masculinist security sector.