Participação feminina na política: o caso de Ruanda

Abstract

Following the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, the country has been gaining visibility in the discussions on female representativeness and its positive indicators of gender equality. From the African and feminist perspectives of International Relations, the gender debate in African countries has gained more prominence. After performing documentary analyses of Rwanda's official texts, academic articles, books and other electronic sources, it is possible to realize that, although the country is internationally known due to the recent conflict, Rwanda has recovered through initiatives starting from changes in the political structure to social movements. Women are key pieces in the reconstruction of the country, and contribute through peacebuilding which is encouraged by different decision-making bodies and other civil organizations. This fact has generated discussions about 'gender', encompassing postcolonial and feminist theories of International Relations. This monograph will analyse the participation of women in the Rwandan parliament, raising questions about democracy in Rwanda and the importance of incentive policies implementation as a means to promote gender equality. It will also try to find the underlying causes and consequences of this recent political shift in Rwanda promoting the participation of women in politics.