The Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion in the Prime Minister's Office, is conducting a country-wide research on the number of women who have attained high level of education.
According to Gad Runezerwa, who is in charge of gender mainstreaming at the ministry, the research is to take at least two months. He said the project will involve data collection, analyzing data collected and its dissemination and thereafter a data base of Rwandan women graduates will be created in the ministry.
Runezerwa pointed out that with scientific data on education levels of women, the ministry will be able to strategically plan for women in terms of capacity building, thereby enhancing gender mainstreaming.
"We shall be able to know which courses women have done and guide the others on what courses are available and marketable. It will be easier to advocate for the unemployed graduates," Runezerwa said.
Gregoire Hategekimana, a communications consultant hired by the ministry to carry out the research said that information will be gathered through the use of questionnaires. He added that the data collected will be kept with maximum confidentiality from the public.
"Since we are covering 500 sectors, questionnaire used to gather information is reliable. We shall also source and crosscheck the information received from the internet; the student's financing body (SFAR), Ministry of Labour and Public Service and the informal sector. So there is no room for lies and inaccuracy. The pesonal data will be not given out to the public," the consultant explained.
Hategekima acknowledged that there is still a great gender gap in decision making positions in many institutions.
"Yes, there is a perception that women are educated and working but we want to know what they do exactly. According to our research so far, they are doing less paying jobs and men are holding the big positions. We would like to find out why and suggest possible solutions to the ministry," he observed.
Apart from eliminating the gender imbalance and creating a data base, the research intends to change cultural attitude and perceptions of the society which only encourages the education of the boy child.
"Gender is a cross-cutting issue. In order to achieve Vision 2020, there is need to educate both sexes who will study competitive and marketable courses. It is very important for children to study what they like and what is competitive on the job market," Hategekimana added.
The gender ministry, in form of affirmative action, also plans to establish gender faculties in universities.
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