Lawmakers from 12 African Commonwealth countries meeting in Kigali, on May 20, stressed the importance of accelerating gender equality in the strategic use of emerging technologies, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI), is essential. The legislators agreed that while technology alone will not end inequality, it is a powerful enabler, provided it is used intentionally, ethically, and inclusively. According to Audrey Winifred Morakane Ketlhoilwe Mosupyoe, Speaker of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature in South Africa, AI is a great tool that can be used to support legislative processes and gender accountability. ALSO READ: Rwanda’s female majority Senate reflects ‘growing trust’ in women leadership She said: “AI can help us raise the bar for legislative accountability. It can guide us in crafting policies that are informed, inclusive, and rooted in data, we must move beyond pledges into real implementation. Women and girls out there are counting on us.” MP Madina Ndangiza, the Chairperson of the CWP Africa Region (2023–2026), highlighted that the Kigali workshop provides a platform for lawmakers to reflect on progress, share experiences, and explore how AI can be used to dismantle systemic gender disparities and enhance women's participation in leadership and decision-making. “In a world advancing rapidly in technology, we must leverage AI to achieve gender equality. This is a tool that can help us expose inequality, personalize learning, support women's empowerment, and inform gender-responsive policies,” she said, adding that Rwanda was selected as host country due to its globally recognized efforts in gender parity. ALSO READ: Number of women in Rwanda’s lower house of parliament rises to 63.8% “You cannot ignore half of the population when making national decisions. In Rwanda, and most of these countries, women make up nearly 50% of the population, and we believe they must be reflected in decision-making at all levels.” She urged other countries lagging behind such as Nigeria, which still struggles with low female representation in leadership to adopt similar political and institutional reforms. MP Gertrude Kazarwa, the Speaker of the Parliament of Rwanda, emphasized the importance of political will in achieving sustainable gender equality. “Gender equality requires, first and foremost, an unwavering political will, once the enabling framework is in place, gender-responsive legislation must follow to break down systemic barriers. Women must be present and active in all spheres of national life,” she added, praising the workshop as a vital space to share experiences, best practices, and learn from each other, the common mission being to drive progress in gender promotion. ALSO READ: Gender Equality Seal upgraded to national standard to drive workplace inclusion Participants reiterated their shared commitment to creating inclusive legal frameworks that protect and uplift women and girls. “We are not just lawmakers, we are mothers, daughters, and advocates for the voiceless. The laws we pass must reflect the realities of those we serve, in our countries. The absence of legal frameworks continues to endanger women and girls,” said MP Bernadette Wuyatta Songa who is from Sierra Leone. She pointed to Sierra Leone’s journey, where, thanks to political will and reforms modeled after Rwanda’s approach, the number of women in Parliament rose from 16 to 43 following a gender bill passed in 2022. “In every political party, for every three leaders, one must be a woman. That’s how we ensure representation,” she added. The commonwealth women parliamentarians also revisited commitments under the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA), which outlines women's rights. Despite its ratification by most African Union states, implementation remains uneven. AI has the potential to play a transformative role by identifying and mitigating biases, enhancing skill development, and promoting equitable talent acquisition. It can also support evidence-based policy-making by analysing data to reveal gender disparities across sectors, it was noted. ALSO READ: Rwanda to develop 50 AI tools across various sectors: official At the workshop, delegates are drafting a road-map to integrate AI into legislative functions, monitor gender-sensitive laws, and build cross-country partnerships to support enforcement. Rwanda’s own experience remains a powerful case study of what is possible when political will, legal reform, and inclusive technology converge.
