Members of Parliament on June 24 approved Rwanda's Rwf7.8 trillion national budget for the 2026/27 financial year after the government revised the Budget Framework Paper (BFP), reallocating about Rwf400 billion to priority sectors. ALSO READ: Lawmakers push for evidence-based gender budgeting Agriculture and livestock was among the sectors that benefited from the changes, receiving an additional Rwf3.08 billion. The sector's allocation increased from Rwf352.55 billion in the draft BFP to Rwf355.64 billion. The same day, stakeholders met to discuss financing gender equality in agri-food systems under the theme: Catalysing Inclusive and Climate-Resilient Agri-Food Systems through Gender-Responsive Financing. ALSO READ: Gender equality, women’s rights and empowerment are non-negotiable The New Times spoke to Florien Rurihose, Deputy Chief Gender Monitor in charge of Gender Mainstreaming at the Gender Monitoring Office (GMO), about how Rwanda implements gender-responsive budgeting and monitors women's inclusion in agriculture and finance. How does the Gender Monitoring Office monitor women's inclusion in agriculture? The GMO's first responsibility is to generate evidence and data on the agri-food system. We conduct gender analyses and assessments to ensure this evidence informs decision-making, planning, budgeting and programme implementation. This is one of our core responsibilities. We also monitor gender-responsive budgeting. Rwanda has established a Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) programme to ensure gender considerations are integrated into the national budget. We monitor how the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) and related agencies plan and allocate resources for gender equality at both central and decentralised levels. We also provide feedback to ministries, agencies, Parliament and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN), which oversees the national planning and budgeting process. Another key aspect of our work is conducting participatory gender audits. These audits are carried out jointly with ministries, government agencies, private companies and other actors in the agri-food system. We assess how well gender has been mainstreamed into policies, legal frameworks, projects and programmes. We examine whether institutions address the needs of both women and men, whether their organisational culture promotes women's participation, and how women contribute to and benefit from decision-making. We also assess investments, financing, monitoring and evaluation systems, as well as the contribution of different stakeholders to advancing gender equality in agriculture. Because gender equality is a cross-cutting issue in Rwanda, every institution is expected to mainstream gender. We therefore work closely with institutions, providing evidence and technical support alongside the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF). How were these gender mainstreaming mechanisms developed? Both the previous National Gender Policy and the revised 2021 National Gender Policy require all institutions to appoint gender focal persons. The agriculture sector has been particularly proactive in implementing this requirement. Gender focal persons have been appointed at MINAGRI, the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), and across various agricultural projects. These efforts are guided by the Gender Mainstreaming Strategy. In addition, the Fifth Strategic Plan for Agricultural Transformation (PSTA 5) includes specific gender indicators that will be monitored. Parliament scrutinises the national budget before approving it. How does the GMO ensure it is gender responsive? Monitoring gender-responsive budgeting is one of our core mandates. MINECOFIN has developed a tool known as the Gender Budget Statement (GBS), which every budget agency is required to prepare and submit alongside its budget. Institutions must conduct gender analyses, identify existing gender gaps, determine their root causes and assess who is most affected. In many cases, women face greater challenges because of historical inequalities. Based on this analysis, institutions are expected to design gender-responsive interventions with clear indicators, targets and allocated budgets. This does not require additional funding. Instead, institutions earmark part of their existing budgets to address identified gender gaps. For example, if an institution is constructing a dam, part of that budget can be allocated to addressing gender-related issues within the project. Our role has three stages. First, during the planning phase, we review the quality of Gender Budget Statements to ensure the analyses are robust. Second, during parliamentary budget discussions, we review the statements and provide technical feedback. Finally, after the budget is approved, we monitor implementation and conduct gender audits to assess the impact of these investments on communities. What indicators do you use to assess gender-responsive budgeting? The Gender Responsive Budgeting programme is built on the principle of gender mainstreaming. Each institution identifies gender issues within its sector and allocates resources to address them. MINECOFIN's guidelines set out minimum requirements. Institutions must prioritise high-value interventions, programmes that directly provide services to citizens, and initiatives that promote gender equality or address identified gender gaps. Our role is to verify that these interventions meet the required standards. In rare cases, a Gender Budget Statement may be rejected if it does not comply. Some countries use a system known as gender tagging, where expenditure is specifically labelled and tracked according to its contribution to gender equality. Rwanda has not yet adopted that approach and instead relies on mainstreaming through Gender Responsive Budgeting. At present, we believe this system is effective because it enables institutions to identify and address gender gaps within their sectors. How does the GMO monitor financial institutions and women's access to finance? We monitor all sectors, including public institutions, private companies, civil society organisations and faith-based organisations. One important initiative is the Gender Equality Certification Programme, which encourages financial institutions to integrate gender equality into their operations. This includes promoting women's leadership, fostering inclusive workplace cultures and designing programmes that strengthen women's economic empowerment. We also conduct regular gender audits in the financial sector and produce gender profiles highlighting achievements, progress and remaining gaps. These profiles help institutions identify areas that require further action. In addition, we review reports published by institutions such as the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR) and findings from the FinScope survey. We analyse the data and prepare sector-specific fact sheets outlining key gaps, their possible causes and recommendations. Are you satisfied with the current level of women's financial inclusion? Progress has been made, particularly through digital transformation and improved access to financial services. However, much remains to be done. Women's access to credit remains low, at around 10 per cent. Many women continue to operate in the informal sector and rely on village savings groups with limited financial resources. Several barriers persist, including restrictive social norms, gender stereotypes and, in some cases, control of women's finances by spouses or other family members. Harassment and discrimination also continue to limit some women's access to financial services. Your final message? The progress achieved so far is encouraging. However, sustained efforts by government, the private sector, development partners and communities are essential to ensure women can fully benefit from financial inclusion and broader economic opportunities. Tags: Gender, budget, women, agriculture, finance, inclusion
