Rwanda 2007 Country Office Annual Report (COAR)

Three UNFPA focus areas: Briefly analyze key trends and issues in the country related to three focus areas of the UNFPA Strategic Plan: population and development, reproductive health and rights, and gender equality. Rwanda is a landlocked country of 26.338 square kilometres situated in eastern Africa and is a member of the East African Community. Also known as the land of a thousand hills, literally in the heart of Africa, Rwanda is bordered by Uganda to the north, Tanzania to the east, Burundi to the south and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west. After the Genocide in 1994 and the national reconstruction, Rwanda is consolidating her political stability and pursuing her development. The political transition period led to legislative and presidential elections in 2003.The country embarked on economic performance improved in 2004 where GDP growth rate increased from 0.9% in 1998 to 5.2% in 2006. Poverty is still high with 56.9% of the population living below the poverty line in 2007. Although this proportion of the population declined slightly from 60% in 2002, the absolute number of people living below poverty line increased from 4.8 million in 2002 to 5.4 million in 2007. To fight poverty, the Government of Rwanda completed PRSP I (2002-2005) and is finalizing the EDPRS (2007-2011) which focuses on liberalizing economic growth and promoting private sector development. Rwandas population enumerated at 8.13 million in 2002 and estimated at 9.34 million in 2007 is expected to reach 10.78 million in 2012 assuming low scenario projection. The sex ratio of 91 males per 100 females in 2002, attributed to the effects of Genocide, is expected to increase slightly to 92 in 2012. The population is expected to remain largely youthful with the under 15 years that constituted 43.7% of the total will be about 42.1% in 2012. The youth and young adult population aged 15-24 years that constituted 27% of the total in 2002 is expected to decline to about 19% in 2012.

The proportion of the elderly population (60+years) is expected to remain unchanged (at about 4%) in the 2002-2012 period. Similarly, the distribution of the population in the period 2002-2012 is also not expected to change and is estimated at 48 and 52 percent for males and females respectively. The population has continued
to be predominantly rural with proportion urban estimated at only 17% in 2002. However, should the rapid annual
urban population growth rate estimated at 12% in 2002 continue, the urban population is expected to increase to
about 2.3 million in 2012. Data on key determinants of population change shows that fertility has remained
relatively high in the face of declining mortality. Total Fertility Rate (TFR) increased slightly from 5.9 in 2000 to 6.1
children per woman in 2005 despite increase in modern contraceptive prevalence rate from 4.1% in 2000 to 10.3%
in 2005. This level of contraceptive use is low and the unmet need for family planning increased slightly from 36%
in 2000 to 38% in 2005. However, the proportion of women aged 15-19 years who are already mothers showed a
decline from 7% in 2000 to 4.1% in 2005. With regards to mortality rates, Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) dropped from 107 in 2000 to 86 per 1000 live births in 2005. Life expectancy at birth estimated at 51.2 years (males 48.4,
Narrative 2 / 62 01-Feb-08 2007 RDEF Annual Report Submission - Rwanda (43300) females 53.8) in 2002 improved when compared to the 1996 estimate of about 47 years. The level of Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) though still high declined from 1071 in 2000 and 750 per 100,000 live births in 2005. The high MMR could be partly attributed to among others, low utilization rates of basic and comprehensive obstetric care as demonstrated by the 2005 DHS data where 94% of pregnant women attended prenatal care services but 70% of deliveries took place at home. HIV prevalence rate among adult population in Rwanda was estimated at 3% in 2005 but there exits wide disparities by sex and region. Females had higher prevalence rate (3.6%) when compared to men (2.3%) while the urban prevalence rate was much higher (7.3%) when compared to rural (2.2%).

Although there exits no wide variations by sex in HIV/AIDS knowledge, but there are wide variations in condom
use among the youthful population. While 51 and 54 percent of women and men had correct knowledge about
HIV/AIDS respectively, only 7 and 12 percent of men and women respectively used condom for their first sexual
interaction. The Rwanda Government has been greatly committed towards Gender Equality and Women
empowerment over the past years. This is demonstrated by various national commitments and programmes
including the establishment of national Gender machinery (MIGEPROF) and National women councils up to
decentralized levels. Gender equality and Women empowerment issues are stipulated in the long term vision
2020, the ratification of international rights instruments such as CEDAW, ACHPR. The Country made available
women right protection instruments through the Constitution (2003), the law on Matrimonial Regimes Liberalities
and Succession (1999), the law regarding Children Rights and Protection from Violence (2001), the Organic Land
Law (2005) and the Gender Based Violence Bill (in progress). As the result of this strong political commitment
women representation in decision making position has improved: 48.8% in the Parliament, 32% Ministers, 42% in
Local Government, 36% of Gacaca Judges and 33% of Supreme Court Judges with the President of the Supreme
Court is a woman. However, elements of gender disparities still exists as demonstrated by the following: about
31% of women reported to have been victims of violence (2005 DHS); adult literacy rate from the 2001 household
survey indicates that females are disadvantaged (females 47.8% and males 58.1%); the proportion of females
with secondary education and above was estimated at only 5.3% (2002 Census); and, about 62% of female
headed households were below the poverty line compared to 54% of male headed (2001 household survey).