Female Political Representation in the East African Community.

Focus on Rwanda

Abstract

While the world average of female MPs is only 21.4 per cent, a somewhat larger proportion of female representatives, 21.9 per cent is present in the parliaments of sub-Saharan Africa. It is also surprising that Rwanda is on top of the list with nearly 64 per cent female MPs, the only country in the world where women outnumber men in the field of legislation. The number of female representatives is similarly high in other countries of the Eastern African Region. In order to provide a complex overview, this study does not only examine Rwanda but also other member states of the East African Community. Different policies are highlighted which enabled these five countries to have a higher percentage of female MPs than in several European countries. Rwanda is going to be studied in more detail due to its unusually high percentage of female representatives. Quota systems defined in constitutional and electoral law are going to be discussed in connection with other member states of the East African Community. Besides presenting the EAC states, the paper also aims to form criticism and to disprove the statement that the high percentage of women MPs can be the benchmark of democracy.