A focus of the Women’s Working Group on Gender (WWGG) is holding regional workshops on topical issues as part of the strategy for addressing areas of concern among women and for developing a plan of action through sharing of ideas between and among MPs from the specified region.

With Rwanda boasting the highest proportion of women MPs in the world (49%), it seemed timely to hold the first gender regional workshop in that country. The three-day Eastern/Central workshop entitled “The Fight againstPoverty in Post-Conflict Countries through Gender and NEPAD Perspectives” took place in Kigali in September 2004.

Furthermore, Rwanda has undertaken the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), and other countries in the region, Kenya and Uganda, are slated. Also, since the high rate of HIV/AIDS infection is of major concern in the region, its impact on poverty was examined within the context of gender inequality and in particular, the violence that women are subjected to in a conflict situation. The workshop was meant to analyse poverty reduction strategies including microfinance, which has been adopted by most countries. In recognition of the need expressed by most MPs to establish relations with Civil Society, the workshop was also designed to explore strategies for strengthening such relations.

The workshop brought together 14 MPs and 1 parliamentary staff member from 5 countries of the region ( Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda) as well as a significant number of MPs from Rwanda. All members of the Forum of Rwandan Women Parliamentarians were invited, as were many male MPs, including Parliamentary leadership and committee chairs. Many Rwandese MPs were present either in part or throughout, including the 1 st Vice-President of Parliament, and the Chair of the Budget Committee.

Plans for the workshop were further devised in collaboration with the Forum of Rwandan Women Parliamentarians, who took a strong lead in the organization and implementation of the event. The FRWP brings together all women MPs and Senators in Rwanda, and is chaired by Agnes Mukabaranga, founding member of the WWGG and member of the ACPSP Coordinating Council.

The workshop included presentations and discussions, as well as a field visit to poverty-reduction projects in and around Kigali. The program was divided into thematic blocks as follows, always with a focus on poverty reduction and gender: NEPAD and the APRM; Conflict; HIV/AIDS; and Micro-finance. Each block started with one or many presentations, providing a regional perspective as well as a Rwandese perspective. Plenary discussions followed each thematic block. The field visit was followed by group discussions allowing for the drawing-up of recommendations.

Discussions revolved around such issues as:

• NEPAD/APRM
• Conflict prevention and resolution
• HIV/AIDS
• Micro finance and poverty reduction

Recommendations and Action Plan

Following deep exchanges in groups on: NEPAD (including the role of MPs and participation of various groups), poverty and gender, NEPAD, conflicts and HIV/AIDS, the following recommendations were formulated:

NEPAD, Poverty and Gender

• Objectives, strategies, activities and budgets should be based on gender analysis;
• All constraining and non constraining tools of NEPAD should consider equality and equity between man and woman;
• It is urgent that member countries NEPAD which do not yet have legislation on matrimonial regimes, inheritance, and liberalities initiate laws to give women a greater chance of accessing resources and assets;
• Indicators of the millennium development goals should be integrated in the objectives of NEPAD.

NEPAD, Conflict and HIV/AIDS

It is gratifying to observe that security is a NEPAD priority. Nevertheless participants recommend:

• A network of MPs be created for the prevention and resolution of conflicts and the fight against HIV/AIDS;
• A common action plan for the problematic of post-conflict periods is needed
• High scale programs for care to women victims of HIV/AIDS are highly needed.

Micro-finance and the Fight against Poverty

The seminar participants recommend:

• NEPAD, governments and parliaments should support micro-finance systems to effectively fight poverty and support the sustainability and extension of ongoing initiatives;
• Regulation by Central Banks on micro-finance practices should be negotiated together with stakeholders and beneficiaries;
• NEPAD should include micro-finance in its strategies for poverty alleviation.

Role of MPs

Participants recommend:

• the creation of regional networks of MPs for the monitoring of budgets with respect to the fight against poverty and other scourges (i.e. HIV/AIDS, corruption) with the support of NEPAD, governments and parliaments;
• MPs should initiate or adopt laws that guarantee protection of people living with HIV/AIDS and those who are healthy, particularly women and little girls;
• Parliaments should look into the possibility of establishing a specific commission in charge of the HIV/AIDS issue;
• Grassroots decentralized mechanisms need to help MPs get involved in the process of budget preparation and community development plans;
• Parliaments should inform civil society organizations about the context of laws and encourage these organizations to attend activities of parliaments;

Analysis of budgets through a gender perspective as to insure inequalities are lifted, namely women’s access to education in general and to science and technology fields in particular.