Women’s Political Representation in Post-Conflict Rwanda: A Politics of Inclusion or Exclusion?

Citation:

Hogg, Carey Leigh. 2009. “Women’s Political Representation in Post-Conflict Rwanda: A Politics of Inclusion or Exclusion?” Journal of International Women’s Studies 11 (3): 34–55.

Author: Carey Leigh Hogg

Abstract:

Though references abound to Rwandan women holding the world’s highest percentage of parliamentary representation at 56%, what is rarely addressed is the confluence of two opposing trends in Rwanda’s post-conflict environment: that the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF)-led government has advocated for women’s greater political inclusion under the premise that women will ‘better’ the political climate, while simultaneously excluding any form of political dissent or ethnic identification. This article ventures into uncharted territory by asking two questions: first, does the discourse surrounding the Government of National Unity’s (GNU) campaign to increase women’s participation in formal politics uncritically assume that women parliamentarians will have a different relationship to politics, paring women representatives’ identities down to non-ethnic female subjects, seen only as promoting peaceful reconciliation? Secondly, given what external actors increasingly term an ‘authoritarian state’ that lacks political space, does the notion that women will change the political climate have any substantive meaning in post-genocidal Rwanda? The answers to such queries show that viewing the Rwandan case with a critical and gendered lens generates deeper meaning for how women political representatives’ identities can be dangerously frozen and ‘subjectified’ in post-conflict contexts; particularly those intent on building ‘national unity’ by way of quieting dissent.

Topics: Ethnicity, Gender, Women, Gender Balance, Governance, Post-Conflict Governance Regions: Africa, Central Africa, East Africa Countries: Rwanda

Year: 2009

© 2024 CONSORTIUM ON GENDER, SECURITY & HUMAN RIGHTSLEGAL STATEMENT All photographs used on this site, and any materials posted on it, are the property of their respective owners, and are used by permission. Photographs: The images used on the site may not be downloaded, used, or reproduced in any way without the permission of the owner of the image. Materials: Visitors to the site are welcome to peruse the materials posted for their own research or for educational purposes. These materials, whether the property of the Consortium or of another, may only be reproduced with the permission of the owner of the material. This website contains copyrighted materials. The Consortium believes that any use of copyrighted material on this site is both permissive and in accordance with the Fair Use doctrine of 17 U.S.C. § 107. If, however, you believe that your intellectual property rights have been violated, please contact the Consortium at info@genderandsecurity.org.