On 8th March 2022, Rwanda’s Ambassador to China, H.E James Kimonyo participated in a symposium co-organized by UN Women China and Center for China and Globalization (CCG) in Beijing. 

Held under the theme, ‘Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow: Symposium on Biodiversity and Climate Change from a Gender Perspective’, the event aimed at convening a platform for sharing best practices on gender responsive climate change, environmental policies, programmes, and to identify actions that enable gender just climate action. 

Speaking during the panel discussion alongside representatives from foreign Embassies, CCG council, international organizations and the press, the Ambassador put major emphasis on the role of women in the global climate change, noting that ‘empowering rural women presents an opportunity for developing climate resilience’. He highlighted the best practices and lessons learnt from supporting women in Rwanda.

“Since 2003, when Rwanda established gender equality as a core value of our society. Women have contributed a lot to wellbeing of our society and to that of the country. Today, women hold over 60 % of the seats in Rwanda’s Parliament” Kimonyo said adding that the country has also the highest proportion of women in all other institutions. 

According to CCG, gender inequality coupled with climate and environment crises are the greatest sustainable development challenges of our time. The climate stabilization and environmental sustainability with gender equality require different stakeholders to work together for the empowerment of all women and girls, especially in the post pandemic recovery.