Judith Kanakuze

Judith Kanakuze (September 19, 1959 – February 7, 2010) was a Rwandan politician and women's rights activist best known for passing legislation against gender-based violence, including Rwanda's first legal definition of rape, and contributing constitutional gender quotas that required women's representation in governmental bodies. She worked in multiple fields, including nutrition and civil service, before becoming a prominent leader of women after the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which she lost most of her extended family. Kanakuze founded the early women's organization Réseau des Femmes and represented women's interests at the Arusha Accords and on Rwanda's committee to establish a constitution. The gender quotas that required women to compose at least 30 percent of governmental bodies subsequently quickly spurred women's participation to exceed the quotas in parliament. She was elected to Parliament in 2003 and reelected in 2008. During her terms, she presided over the Rwanda Women Parliamentary Forum

Quotes

• God saved me.
  • "He did not save them, Judith Said (KT Press, December 2022)
• We are transforming our society, and women are part of the solution.
  • Rwanda's parliamentary election saw women win 45 of the 80 seats. (KT Press, December 2022)
• We don’t want to just make a law,” — she said that in 2005. She wanted “to stop men from beating their partners and stop women from tolerating the beating.”
  • Women in Post-genocide Rwanda Have Helped Heal Their Country National geographic ( 4 April 2014)
• We don’t want to just make a law, we want to stop bad behaviours
  • Women in Post-genocide Rwanda Have Helped Heal Their Country National geographic (4 April 2014 )
• "Very young, I opposed injustice and exclusion.”
  • Judith Kanakuze interview jeune afrique ( 4 march 2007)
• "Perhaps I was born a politician, I gained confidence quite naturally."
  • Judith kanakuze juene afrique ( 3 march 2007)
• We must be women, wives, mothers and politicians. Men must consider us in all four aspects.
  • To our male collegues juene afrique ( 3 march 2007)
• "If it is a gender issue, men and women, everybody, must advocate."
• "Working to ensure that men also felt 'ownership' of the bill was more important than rushing it through."
• "The international conventions on elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and Beijing recommendations have pointed out several related issues of gender violence."

• "God saved me. He did not save them."
  • While discussing the loss of members of her family during the genocide, she said the guardian ( 17 december 2008)

• “This is a different time.”
  • While discussing Rwanda's changing political landscape and women's representation, she said the guardian (17 december 2008)

• "Before we were listened to on social issues and gender equality and about violence against women."
  • The interview continues with Judith explaining how women's political influence had changed, she continued the guardian( 16 december 2008)

• "But now women will be a majority on the committees that were controlled by men."
  • Direct statement from the interview, she stated the guardian (16 december 2008)

• "We don't want to just make a law."
  • Judith wanted legislation to actually change behaviour, rather than simply exist on paper, she said
• “We must look for solutions together.”
  • https://icg-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/30-international-criminal-tribunal-for-rwanda-justice-delayed.pdf? amazonaws.com ( June7,2001)
• “It’s all staged. They are pretending. We want something strategic that will bring about lasting change.”
  • https://icg-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/30-international-criminal-tribunal-for-rwanda-justice-delayed.pdf? amazonaws.com ( June7,2001)
• “What does it mean?”
  • https://icg-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/30-international-criminal-tribunal-for-rwanda-justice-delayed.pdf? amazonaws.com ( June7,2001)
• “Let them come and tell us what happened and so that our children can reconstruct their history.”
  • https://icg-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/30-international-criminal-tribunal-for-rwanda-justice-delayed.pdf? amazonaws.com ( June7,2001)
• We don’t want to just make a law.”
  • Women in Post-genocide Rwanda Have Helped Heal Their Country nationalgeographic.com( April 4, 2014)
• We don’t want to just make a law, we want to stop bad behavior.”
  • Women in Post-genocide Rwanda Have Helped Heal Their Country nationalgeographic.com( April 4, 2014)
• “Very young, I opposed injustice and exclusion.”
  • https://www.jeuneafrique.com/223016/archives-thematique/judith-kanakuze/ jeuneafrique (March3,2017)
• “Perhaps I was born a politician, I gained confidence quite naturally.
  • https://www.jeuneafrique.com/223016/archives-thematique/judith-kanakuze/ jeuneafrique (March3,2017)
• “We must be women, wives, mothers and politicians. Men must consider us in all four aspects.”
  • https://www.jeuneafrique.com/223016/archives-thematique/judith-kanakuze/ jeuneafrique (March3,2017)
• If it is a gender issue, men and women, everybody, must advocate.”
  • https://www.jeuneafrique.com/223016/archives-thematique/judith-kanakuze/ jeuneafrique (March3,2017)
• “Working to ensure that men also felt ‘ownership’ of the bill was more important than rushing it through.”
  • https://www.jeuneafrique.com/223016/archives-thematique/judith-kanakuze/ jeuneafrique (March3,2017)
• “The international conventions on elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and Beijing recommendations have pointed out several related issues of gender violence.”
  • https://www.jeuneafrique.com/223016/archives-thematique/judith-kanakuze/ jeuneafrique (March3,2017)
• “God saved me. He did not save them.”
  • We are the future' theguardian.com(December17,2008)
• “This is a different time.”
  • We are the future' theguardian.com(December17,2008)
• “Before we were listened to on social issues and gender equality and about violence against women.”
  • We are the future' theguardian.com(December17,2008)
• “But now women will be a majority on the committees that were controlled by men.”
  • We are the future' theguardian.com(December17,2008)
• “I thank Eglise Methodiste Libre au Rwanda who started this school 20 years ago because this really shows that churches too, contribute to the development of the society and our Nation.”
  • School marks 20 years anniversary new Times (October 28, 2008)