SHARECountry Data
Rwanda (Republic of Rwanda) has a Bicameral parliament with legislated quotas for the single/lower house and upper house and at the sub-national level. 49 of 80 (61%) seats in the Chambre des Députés / Chamber of Deputies are held by women.
At a glance
Structure of Parliament: Bicameral
Are there legislated quotas...
- For the Single/Lower House? Yes
- For the Upper House? Yes
- For the Sub-National Level? Yes
Are there voluntary quotas...
- Adopted by political parties? No
Is there additional information?...
- Yes
Last updated: Feb 21, 2023
Single/Lower House
Chambre des Députés / Chamber of Deputies
| Total seats | 80 |
| Total Women | 49 |
| % Women | 61% |
| Election Year | 2018 |
| Electoral System | List PR |
| Quota Type | Reserved seats |
| Election details | IDEA Voter Turnout - IPU Parline |
| Legal source | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Quota type: Reserved seats | Constitution | Article 10 of the Constitution of Rwanda states, The State of Rwanda commits itself to upholding the following fundamental principles and ensuring their respect: building a State governed by the rule of law, a pluralistic democratic Government, equality of all Rwandans and between men and women which is affirmed by women occupying at least thirty percent (30%) of positions in decision-making organs. Article 75 of the same Constitution establishes, The Chamber of Deputies is composed of eighty (80) Deputies. They originate and are elected from the following categories: twenty- four (24) women elected by specific electoral colleges in accordance with the national administrative entities. |
| Electoral law | The Chamber of Deputies is composed of eighty (80) Deputies who are elected in the following categories: twenty-four (24) women elected according to the administrative entities of the country.(Law on Elections, Articles 87(2)) The closed list comprises a maximum of eighty (80) candidates. At least thirty percent (30%) of candidates on the closed list must be women. (Article 79, Electoral Law) |
|
| Legal sanctions for non-compliance | No | None |
| Rank order/placement rules | No | None |
| Is the provision of direct public funding to political parties related to gender equality among candidates? | No | See more in International IDEA's Political Finance database |
| Are there provisions for other financial advantages to encourage gender equality in political parties? | No | See more in International IDEA's Political Finance database |
Upper House
Sénat / Senate
| Total seats | 26 |
| Total Women | 9 |
| % Women | 35% |
| Election Year | 2019 |
| Electoral System | Indirectly elected and appointed. |
| Quota Type | Reserved seats> |
| Election details | IPU Parline |
| Legal source | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Quota type: Reserved seats | Constitution | The total of 26 members of the Senate are either indirectly elected or appointed. Article 82 of the Constitution (2003) states that ‘within the 26 members in the senate at least thirty per cent (30%) should be women’. (Constitution, Article 82).
|
| Electoral law | ||
| Legal sanctions for non-compliance | N/A | Not applicable |
| Rank order/placement rules | N/A | Not applicable |
Quota at the Sub-National Level
- Quota type: Legislated Candidate Quotas
| Legal source | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Quota type: Legislated Candidate Quotas | Constitution | |
| Electoral law | ‘At every Sector, one female member and one male member of Council shall be elected through direct and secret ballot.’ (Article 155 of Law 27/2010 of 19/06/2010 on elections) In addition, '... at least thirty per cent (30%) of all District Council members shall be women and shall be elected through indirect and secret ballot as well as by the members of the Council Bureau of Sectors’ (Article 156). Political party legislation: ‘Each political organization shall ensure that at least thirty per cent (30%) of posts that are subjected to elections are occupied by women’ (Article 5, Organic Law 16/2003 of 27/06/2003 governing political organizations and politicians as amended by Organic Law 19/2007 of 04/05/2007). |
|
| Legal sanctions for non-compliance | No | None |
| Rank order/placement rules | No | None |
Additional Information
Rwanda adopted a new Constitution in 2003. In addition to constituting a mandatory minimum 30 per cent gender quota in all decision-making bodies, the Constitution explicitly recognizes the responsibility of political organizations to ‘participate in the education of citizens on politics based on democracy and elections and operate in such a manner as to ensure that women and men have equal access to elective offices’ (Article 52, Constitution, Amendment 2 of 8 December 2005).
In 2007, the Law on Political Organizations and Politicians was amended, establishing that party lists for all elective offices must contain at least 30 per cent women candidates. However, the law does not contain any provisions regarding the rank order of women candidates. Following this amendment and in combination with the 24 reserved seats for women, the Rwandan Chamber of Deputies reached a worldwide record in the 2008 legislative elections, as 56.25 per cent of the elected deputies were women. This positive record was repeated in the 2013 legislative elections, when women constituted 63.75 per cent of the total number of elected deputies.
Rwanda’s remarkable progress in increasing women’s political participation and representation in the post- genocide period is largely credited to the introduction of these electoral special measures, as well as other legal acts such as the law for the prohibition of all forms of discrimination and sectarianism, and the Code of Conduct of Political Organizations and Their Members (adopted by the National Consultative Forum of Political Organizations in Rwanda in 2005). The code promotes rules and regulations, discipline and integrity, and governs all political activities in Rwanda.
Sources
LEGAL SOURCES:
- Constitution of Rwanda (rev. 2015) (English version)
- Law Governing Elections, 2019
- Electoral Law
- Organic Law no. 03/2010/OL of 18/06/2010 repealing Organic Law no. 17/2003 of 07/7/2003 governing presidential and legislative elections as amended and complemented to date, Official Gazette, special issue, 19 June 2010
- Organic Law no. 19/2007 of 04/05/2007 modifying and complementing Organic Law no. 16/2003 of 27/06/2003 governing political organizations and politicians
OTHER SOURCES:
- Inter-parliamentary Union [IPU] Parline - Rwanda Country Profile
Additional reading
- See the latest updates on Rwanda on iKNOW Politics
- UN Women. (August 13, 2018). Revisiting Rwanda five years after record-breaking parliamentary elections.
- Powley, E. (2008). Defending Children's Rights: The Legislative Priorities of Rwandan Women Parliamentarians, The Initiative for Inclusive Security, A Program of Hunt Alternatives Fund
- Wallace, C., Haerpfer, C. & Abbott, P. (2008). Women in Rwandan politics and society. doi:10.2753/IJS0020-7659380406
- Hansson, F. (2007). Constitution-Making Explanations to Gender Quotas. A Case Study of the Introduction of Reserved Seats for Women in the Rwandan Parliament. Master Thesis, Uppsala University.
- Longman, T. (2006). Rwanda: Achieving equality or serving an authoritarian state? in G. Bauer and H. E. Briton (eds.), Women in African Parliaments. Boulder, CO: Lynne Reinner Publishers.
- Schwartz, H. (2004). Women's representation in the Rwandan Parliament. Master Thesis, Dept. of Political Science, Gothenburg University.
- Powley, E. (2003). Strengthening Governance: The Role of Women in Rwanda’s Transition, paper presented at the Women Waging Peace Policy Commission. [September 2003]