Rwanda, Women Leaders, and the Path to Peace
nadim September 29th, 2008
Few people can fail to recall the horrific events that took place in Rwanda in 1994. In three short months, an estimated 800,000 people were killed in a brutal ethnic conflict, while the majority of the world turned and looked the other way. Since then, the sense of shame that has pervaded the international community with respect to this catastrophe has been immense, to the point where it now serves as a case study highlighting the moral imperative of intervention when events in a country spiral out of control.
In the aftermath of the genocide, a new constitution was adopted, one that ensured that at least 30% of the members of parliament would be female. Billions of dollars from donors and investors have been flowing into the country. There has been steady economic growth driven by a growth in rural agriculture and skills development, as well as improvements in clean water access and primary health care. And, while serious problems remain — such as the growing divide between rich and poor — it is surely heartening to see such significant improvements in such a short span of time.
And now a little piece of history has been made – a news story which very nearly slipped under the radar (hardly surprising with all the coverage of collapsing banks and looming elections). Just over a week ago, Rwanda became the first country ever to have a majority of women in parliament, with at least 55% of MP positions going to women.
Why might this be regarded as historic? Well, let’s start with the words of Bellancilla Nyonawankusi, a Rwandan election official, as quoted on News24:
All Rwandans have a role to play in the reconciliation, but women can do it better than men… They are the ones who were the first to be affected by the genocide and they are the ones who are bringing up the children.
This critical connection between war, motherhood and the raising of children was emphasized in a moving passage from Abdu’l-Baha, while He travelled the Western world expounding the teachings of the Baha’i Faith. It was part of a talk delivered to a Women’s Suffrage gathering in New York, in 1912:
The most momentous question of this day is international peace and arbitration, and universal peace is impossible without universal suffrage. Children are educated by the women. The mother bears the troubles and anxieties of rearing the child, undergoes the ordeal of its birth and training. Therefore, it is most difficult for mothers to send to the battlefield those upon whom they have lavished such love and care. Consider a son reared and trained twenty years by a devoted mother. What sleepless nights and restless, anxious days she has spent! Having brought him through dangers and difficulties to the age of maturity, how agonizing then to sacrifice him upon the battlefield! Therefore, the mothers will not sanction war nor be satisfied with it. So it will come to pass that when women participate fully and equally in the affairs of the world, when they enter confidently and capably the great arena of laws and politics, war will cease; for woman will be the obstacle and hindrance to it. This is true and without doubt.
(Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 134)
It is clear that the world is still playing catch-up to these words, and women everywhere continue to struggle for an equal voice in the decision-making arena. But how poignant it is that a small, mountainous country in East Africa — which has endured so much recent agony — should suddenly, and quite unexpectedly, be showing us the way.
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Thank you for sharing this most inspiring bit of news about progress towards greater gender equality and peace-building in Rwanda!
While writing the piece, I had this nagging thought that maybe everyone had already heard this news, so it’s reassuring to know that some hadn’t! Warm greetings Casia
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… Another argument that will probably support this article is the fact that women in the US, with ‘hockey-moms’ in the forefront, will probably decide the outcome of the approaching Presidental election. With the US having fought two wars in a short period of time, I’m sure that Abdu’l-Bahás statement will be appliable in this context as well, since many american soldiers have died during the cause of the two wars.
Even though the outcomes of the terrible genocide in Rwanda has resulted in something positive, it is such a pity that mankind needs a humanitarian disaster in order to make basic improvements in politics.
Who knows what the aftermath of the next genocide will bring – maybe an abolition of party-politics, and thus an end on conflict creating mechanisms within domestic politics.
Hi cpr, thanks for sharing your thoughts. You know, surveying the prominent world events this year, it seems like cracks are appearing on all fronts. Economically, we’re seeing the effects of the credit crunch, which many commentators agree has been brought about by greed and excessive profit-taking. Politically, we see rising tensions and a whole host of unresolved arguments and conflicts. And then there is the constant stream of lies and contradictions in the arena of partisan politics, all in an attempt to win one over the competition and appease some or other “swing group” (hockey moms, the religious right, you name it).
This clearly isn’t the best that the human race can come up with… and the unbiased observer will surely realize what a long way we have to go. Now what if the next step was an *actual* root cause analysis…what causes greed? Why do we tolerate untruthfulness? Why do we keep sending our sons to die in battle? etc. And then, what are our “remediation” strategies? If the problems are essentially ethical, should moral education become a serious part of our lives again?
The sooner we have the courage to tackle these uncomfortable questions, the sooner we’ll make meaningful progress…if not, I would agree that your prediction of more intense suffering is spot on.
What a pleasant coincidence… I was chatting to a friend from China Monday 6th October night, just before I peeped into the blog…
The parliament of Japan was on TV, and there are virtually no women there. I asked about China, and he said there are some women in parliament. He then said that the most women in parliament were in Switzerland or some European country (actually Switzerland is not very high on the list, so I think he meant Sweden), and I said, NOT. Rwanda already had the highest percentage, even before the 55% history-maker. It was in the high 40%s by early 2008, and already the world’s highest. I said this to him, and he was happy. Two African countries are in the global top 10: Rwanda and Mozambique. Europe has 6, and Latin America 3 (ok, that totals 11, but there is tie for 7th between Spain and Cuba). The relevant stats on Wiki are at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_politics under the section ‘Legislative branch of government’
…Wherefore art thou Asia?