Advancing gender equality in Rwanda’s economy

Context

Rwanda promotes gender equality and has made significant progress in empowering women. However, obstacles persist for women in the business world.

Women participate in the labour force at a lower rate and often handle most household responsibilities. While women own 51 per cent of small businesses, they often generate less earnings. Generally, Rwandan enterprises struggle with limited access to markets and finding skilled staff. Additionally, traditional gender norms restrict women entrepreneurs from accessing finance, networking, and mentorship.

Within the workplace, gender discrimination, such as sexual harassment, hinders women's career advancement. It affects their performance, impacts their mental health, and limits their representation in leadership positions.

Objective

Rwanda promotes quality employment and new job opportunities for women and enhances the competitiveness of women-led businesses.

Approach

The project focuses on two main areas:

Improving working conditions for women employees

• collaborating with businesses to enhance working conditions for women
• assisting companies to manage gender and diversity
• developing policies that promote work-life balance, increase the proportion of women in decision-making positions, eliminate sexual harassment in the workplace, and address gender-based pay gaps

Supporting women-led businesses

• offering trainings and coaching
• establishing long-term partnerships with women-led businesses
• delivering financial and technical assistance to initiatives of companies, civil society, and the Rwandan government that focus on reducing gender-specific barriers to female entrepreneurship

Last update: March 2025