- Excellencies
- Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
The Generation Equality Forum is the most significant platform for advancing gender equality in today’s world.
I wish to commend President Macron of France and President López Obrador of Mexico for championing this initiative, together with UN Women Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.
Rwanda is particularly happy to be associated with the Action Coalition for Technology and Innovation for Gender Equality.
Let me tell you about Rwanda’s plans and commitments in this area.
First, we aim to bridge the gender gap in digital access by 2026.
We will do this in three specific areas: ownership of smartphones, access to digital financial services, and science, technology, and math studies at the upper secondary level.
Second, we will ensure that our innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem is fully inclusive, by doubling the number of women and girls supported by innovation centres.
Rwanda has also engaged the East African Community in pursuit of possible joint commitments in these domains.
Achieving gender equality in technology and innovation is just one part of the wider struggle to guarantee equal rights and opportunities for women and girls.
Every human being, regardless of gender, should be able to live the life that they choose.
That is the commitment we are all making through the Generation Equality Forum, inspired by the historic outcome of the 4th World Conference on Women a quarter-century ago.
Let’s stay the course.
I thank you for your kind attention.