Rwandan Women Rising

441 Pages·2017·36.064 MB·English

by  Swanee Hunt

RWANDAN
WOMEN
RISING

R W A N D A N
W O M E N
R I S I N G
Swanee Hunt
foreword by jimmy carter
Duke University Press | Durham and London | 2017
© 2017 Duke University Press
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America on acid- free paper ∞
Typeset in Whitman and Avenir by Copperline
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Names: Hunt, Swanee.
Title: Rwandan women rising / Swanee Hunt.
Description: Durham : Duke University Press, 2017. |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers:
lccn 2016045798 (print)
lccn 2016047433 (ebook)
isbn 9780822362579 (hardcover : alk. paper)
isbn 9780822373568 (ebook)
Subjects: lcsh: Women — Political activity — Rwanda. | Women
and democracy — Rwanda. | Rwanda — History — Civil War,
1994 — Atrocities. | Rwanda — History — Civil War, 1994 — Personal
narratives. | Rwanda — Politics and government — 1994 –
Classification: lcc hq1236.5.r95 h86 2017 (print) |
lcc hq1236.5.r95 (ebook) | ddc 320.082/0967571 — dc23
lc record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016045798
Unless otherwise noted, photos by Swanee Hunt Alternatives.
Cover art: Photos by author.
Women understand most the importance of peace.
In conflicts, women are the ones hurt most,
so each will participate in the recovery some way.
Look at the key institutions in our country today.
Women are providing leadership.
There’s no way you can talk about the transformation of society
unless that group is involved.
Much as we want to benefit from this process,
we also want to be a part of it.
There’s no way you can avoid 55 percent of a population
and think they’ll be just recipients.
We have to be agents of peace.
We can’t just have peace delivered to us on a plate.
ALOISEA INYUMBA
1964 – 2012
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vi CHAPTER 1
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CONTENTS
Timeline xi
Key Terms xvii
Biographies of Speakers xix
Foreword by Jimmy Carter xxix
Preface xxxiii
With Thanks xxxix
introduction 1
PART I Starting Places 19
1 • Foremothers 24
2 • The Pressure Builds 33
3 • Stateless 44
4 • To Arms 52
5 • Genocide 58
6 • Immediate Aftermath 70
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PART II The Path to Public Leadership 77
7 • Community Training Ground 84
8 • A Pull from the Top 95
9 • Emboldened Ministry of Gender 107
10 • Countrywide Women’s Councils 114
11 • Caucus Crucible 122
12 • Fanning Out 129
13 • A New Constitution 135
14 • The Quota 140
15 • Pioneering in Parliament 146
16 • Spurring Local Leadership 151
PART III Bending toward Reconciliation 161
17 • Bringing Them Together 165
18 • Bringing Them Home 171
19 • Rethinking Rape 182
20 • To Testify 191
21 • Off the Sidelines 199
22 • Far beyond the Stats 206
23 • Risk and Resignation 211
PART IV Signposts 219
24 • The Meaning of Marriage 223
25 • Safety: A New Language 229
26 • Challenging Changes 235
27 • Unmasking Ambition 242
28 • Health Means Whole 251
29 • Every Body Matters 257
30 • Thriving Progress 265
31 • Little Ones 272
32 • Reading Rights 278
viii CONTENTS
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PART V Building the Road They’re Walking 289
33 • Solidarity and Sisterhood 293
34 • Manning the Movement 299
35 • Sowing Confidence 305
36 • Flying High 314
37 • Planting Deep 322
38 • Charting New Pathways 331
39 • Complements and Compliments 336
40 • Coming Up 345
epilogue 357
Notes 377
Index 385
CONTENTS ix
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