Why Rwanda?

Kigali Convention Center Dome.
Photo Credit: Markham Group.

Kigali Arena.
Photo Credit: Mariam Khan.

Kigali, Rwanda Overlook View.
Photo Credit: Markham Group.

WD2023 in Rwanda:

The Women Deliver 2023 Conference (WD2023) will be held in the landmark Kigali Convention Center (KCC), the first convention center in Rwanda and the largest in the region. Its unique design integrates all facilities and functional technology with a clear reference to the culture and traditions of Rwanda. WD2023 will span the use of the KCC, the adjacent Radisson Blu Hotel, and the nearby Kigali Arena for the Opening Ceremony. The Conference will also include a Culture Night — an evening event that will showcase Rwanda’s culture, art, food, and music for all participants of the Conference.

Rwanda’s strong and demonstrable commitment to gender equality and girls’ and women’s health and rights makes it an especially appropriate choice for WD2023:

  • Rwanda has positioned itself as a leader in COVID-19 response and recovery and in achieving near Universal Health Coverage through its national health insurance policy, providing key transferable lessons to countries seeking to achieve the same progress.
  • Gender equality and women’s empowerment are mainstreamed in various development frameworks, informing both Rwanda’s National Strategy for Transformation (2017-2024) and Vision 2050. A priority on gender equality is also set forth in its Constitution, which guarantees equal rights for women and men and stipulates a quota of 30 percent representation of women in all decision-making bodies.
  • Women occupy approximately 61 percent of the seats in the Chamber of Deputies, 55 percent of all Ministerial positions, 38 percent of the seats in the Senate, and 43 percent of the Councilor seats at the local government levels.
  • The World Economic Forum ranks Rwanda sixth globally and first in Africa as a regional and global leader in advancing gender equality.
  • Rwanda made 13 commitments at the 2019 Nairobi Summit. Additionally, the Rwanda Action Plan prioritizes achieving 1) zero unmet needs for family planning, 2) zero preventable maternal deaths, 3) zero sexual transmission of HIV, and 4) zero gender-based violence, among other commitments.
  • Rwanda serves as an Action Coalition Leader for the Technology and Innovation Action Coalition (AC) as part of the Generation Equality Forum (GEF). Rwanda made several relevant commitments at GEF including aiming to bridge the gender gap in digital access by 2026 and doing this in specific areas such as 1) increasing the ownership of smartphones, access to digital financial services, and STEM at the secondary level, 2) ensuring the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem is fully inclusive by doubling the number of girls and women supported by innovation centers, and 3) engaging the East African community in pursuit of joint commitments in these areas.

The host country selection process:

The host country selection process spans over a year and takes into account a number of criteria ranging from core logistics, such as the venue and facilities, hotel accommodations, transportation, COVID-19 visitor procedures, visa processes, accessibility, and security, to engagement with the host country government.

The host country government is also an important stakeholder in the success of each Conference. Women Deliver engages in a series of site visits and virtual/hybrid consultations with our partners in the host country government, civil society stakeholders, and local youth leaders to better understand how the Conference can be used as a platform locally, nationally, and regionally to further the country’s policy goals and ambitions related to gender equality and the health, rights, and wellbeing of girls and women.