Exchanging thoughts on #balanceforbetter

Finally, after a pause of three months, another Root Fellowship discussion took place at the Root House / Terra Caffè & Pastry in Kacyiru on 27 March 2019. The overall topic “Gender Inequality” provided a suitable platform to share thoughts about #balanceforbetter. This hashtag had a high outreach in the beginning of March on the occasion of the International Women’s Day which is why we intended to also connect this event to it.

Rwanda’s leading role with regard to gender equality was underlined. Considering statistics from the National Gender Statistics report 2016, however, the need for further efforts became clear if change is wished to be reached in different areas of life. In addition to policy instruments such as some particular women quotas that do exist in Rwanda, people’s mindsets play a key role for possible change. Accordingly, the attendants used the opportunity to exchange each other’s ideas regarding the question how gender roles can be rethought and stereotypes overcome as there was broad agreement that they should be.