HeForShe in Rwanda by GraceAnne H.

GraceAnne Heater
Rutsiro District, Western Province 

Last year around this time, Amanda Cook, who was a member of the GAD committee, wrote a blog post about the UN launch of the HeforShe campaign. On September 18, 2015, Rwanda got involved in the movement by launching the HeForShe Impact 10x10x10.

HeForShe is a worldwide campaign for gender equality that aims to engage and rally men and boys to pledge their support for women's empowerment. This campaign was developed by UN Women and is now run by men. As of today, 4,287 Rwandan men have signed the pledge on the HeForShe website, committing themselves to take action against gender discrimination and violence.

Impact 10x10x10 is a program comprised of men in the highest levels of government, private sector, and academia. In June, 10 heads of state, 10 heads of corporations, and 10 heads of universities from around the world were selected as Impact Champions, including the Rwandan president, Paul Kagame. These men have made commitments to advance gender equality by setting daring but achievable goals.

In Rwanda, the HeForShe Impact 10x10x10 campaign has identified three goals: bridge the gender digital divide and attain parity in ICT access, usage, and innovation by 2020; triple girls enrollment in Technical and Vocational Training to advance women's employment opportunities; and to eradicate Gender-Based Violence in all its forms.

This campaign will encourage men and boys to commit themselves as agents of change to promote gender equality in Rwanda. While the importance of women in development is certainly paramount, HeForShe Impact 10x10x10 is a chance to acknowledge the contribution of men in promoting women, validate their role as advocates for gender equality, and strengthen their commitment to helping women and girls reach their full potential.