RWANDA PRIDES itself for being one of the countries that actively promote gender parity where women enjoy the same rights as their male counterparts. This is a far cry from many male dominated societies where the “weaker” sex occupies the second tier. It was therefore not surprising that the just concluded World Export Development Forum (WEDF) had a special focus on women entrepreneurs who operate Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs). It also didn’t come as a surprise that when the forum decided to move to the African continent for the first time – 50 years after its inception – it chose Rwanda. Women play a major role, if not the bigger part, in SME development, which is the reason that Rwanda realised that unlocking their potential was important for its economic growth. In the last six years alone, exports have consistently grown by 20 per cent annually. Years ago, traditional exports such as tea and coffee contributed 70 per cent of all exports, today they account for only 49 per cent. However, while the WEDF forum called for women to get a bigger share in public procurement, the reasons should not be based on gender, but on the quality of their services and economic competitiveness – not only because they are women. This is a challenge that women entrepreneurs should take in their stride because they have what it takes to compete and not wait to be served on silver platters.
