Poverty incidence of male /female-headed households
The findings from EICV7 reveal that 26% of households were headed by females while 4% of households were headed by females in the absence of a male head (De facto female-headed households). Female household heads were found to be significantly older than male household heads with approximately 39% of female household heads being over 60 years old, compared to 16.5% of male heads in the same age group.
Economic activity
At least 68.9% of Rwandan households are engaged in agricultural activities and 94.8% of women farmers have access to land compared to 93.7% of men.
Financial inclusion
With regard to access to finance, 85% of women saved money in 2020 while the same figure was 87% for men. By 2024, women’s formal non−bank savings grew from 44% to 53%, while men’s savings increased from 54% to 65%.
Bank loans for women increased from 7% to 8% in 2024 while for men, it rose from 10% to 13%. Ownership of dwellings among female−headed households was at 71.1% while access to improved drinking was at 81.4% by 2022. Among male headed households, these percentages were respectively 71.9% and 82.7%.
The percentage of female− headed households using electricity for lighting rose from 11.9% in 2012 to 41.1% in 2022 while for male headed households, this percentage increased from 18.8% in 2012 to 49.6% in 2022 in the same period. Regarding computer literacy, 9.6% of women are computer literate compared to 14.7% of men.
Labor force participation
At national level, the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for females increased from 48.2% in 2020 to 55.6% in 2024, while the LFPR for males increased from 65.6% to 71.1% over the same period. Urban populations consistently exhibit higher labour force participation rates compared to those in rural areas.
In 2024, 64.8% of urban females and 79.5% of urban males were economically active. Comparatively, 51.9% of rural females and 67.4% of rural males were active in the labour market. In 2024, the labour force participation rate was high among individuals aged 25–34, reaching 71.1% for females and 88.7% for males.
Representation in Governance
In governance, female representation in the cabinet decreased from 36.8% in 2014 to 31.25% in in 2024, while in the Chamber of deputies, women hold 63.3% of seats and 53.8% in the Senate by 2024. In the justice sector, 52% of primary court judges are women, while they occupy 48% of national prosecutors. The data show that media sector remains male−dominated, with 23.9% of accredited journalists being female.