Rwanda's the only country in the world where women outnumber men in Parliament. Just 10 years ago women weren't allowed to own land or keep their assets separate from their husbands. Now they can. And Rwanda now has a special police unit to stop domestic violence. The government is also trying to draw more women out of the house and into the work force. All over this very Catholic country you'll find family planning clinics.In many ways, this could be one of the most important demographic revolutions in the modern world.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Demographic Rebirth After the Rwandan Genocide
In 1994, a genocidal war between Tutsis and Hutus left an estimated 800,000 Rwandans (about 20% of the population) dead. Victims were overwhelmingly men, and the demographic fallout has been that women have led the effort to rebuild the country. A story on America Public Media's Marketplace takes a look at the rebirth of Rwanda:
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I heard this story on my drive home from work and it brought me to tears. Everything about Rwanda is astonishing. The head of The World Bank recently visited and said the reforms enacted and strategic plans are so advanced that donors can't even keep up with the rapid pace of development. The possibilities are endless, but fragile...
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