RWANDA

The Impact of Decentralization and Women’s Political Empowerment on Public Expenditures and Community Development

GDI Director, Janet Mancini Billson, conducted focus group and key informant interviews in 2005 with Rwandan women in government, from the Parliamentary level on down through the provincial, district, sector, and cell levels. At the national level, the linkages of power between parliament and the lower levels of government were explored to understand how political voice is articulated up and down the various levels of power and whether these linkages differ between male and female parliamentarians, councillors, and government officials. The structure, functioning, and impacts of Women’s Councils were explored at the cell, sector, district, and provincial levels. Specifically, we examined the impact of women’s leadership on policy and allocation of public funds. This project for the World Bank was conducted for the Africa Technical Families Division.

Woman on the way to market with potatoes.

Taking notes at a focus group in Gisenyi province.

Having a “bite” with our respondents

and interpreter after the focus group.