A Multidimensional Approach to Women’s Empowerment in Rwanda: What is Missing?

Historically, Rwanda is a rural country where agriculture is the main economic activity of the population. Gender inequality in the country was one of the main problems prior to 1994 genocide. The Rwandan genocide had a devastating impact on the society, with women bearing the brunt of the violence and upheaval. In the years following the genocide, the Rwandan government has made concerted efforts to empower women and promote their participation in political and economic spheres. This study aims to investigate women’s empowerment situation in Rwanda by creating a multidimensional empowerment index. For this purpose, the method analysed in Alkire et al. (2013) was applied, using data from the Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey 2019–2020 (NISR, MOH, & ICF, 2021) which covers both rural and urban populations, to explore the barriers to women’s empowerment in the aftermath of the genocide. The analysis reveals that many women, especially in rural areas, continue to face significant disadvantages and obstacles to their empowerment. The findings suggest that the primary obstacles to women’s empowerment arise from the dimensions of individual agency and the prevalence of violence, particularly in rural areas.