The Rwanda Association of Local Government Authorities (RALGA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF), launched the seventh cycle of an internship program in local governance targeting young women and female university graduates.
The program welcomed around 200 participants who began their internships in Muhanga District, Southern Province, on November 7, 2025.
Launched in 2018, the initiative has so far enabled over 740 women and girls to gain hands-on experience in local government, learning how these institutions operate. The seventh cycle is unique as it includes the largest number of participants at once.
The program aims to introduce young women to the structure and functioning of local government, encourage them to seek employment within these institutions, and motivate them to run for elected positions at all levels — from Kigali City, Districts, Sectors, Cells, to Villages.
According to RALGA, the initiative addresses the historically low participation of women in local government, both in elected positions and competitive exams. Data from previous RALGA exams in the first semester of 2025/2026 shows that women represented 43.3% of candidates for 1,251 positions, and 43.8% of those passed the written and oral exams.
Theoneste Ukize, Director of Capacity Building in Local Government at RALGA, highlighted the program’s impact: nearly 70% of women and girls who completed previous internships secured employment, others became self-employed, and some entered elected positions.
He added: “RALGA will continue to support its members to increase women’s participation in local government, both in technical roles and elected positions, with the goal of reaching 50% or higher.”
Mireille Batamuliza, Permanent Secretary at MIGEPROF, encouraged participants to serve citizens diligently, address community challenges, and prioritize the welfare of residents to build capable and peaceful communities. She urged them to engage fully with government programs to understand local governance better and leave a positive legacy.
The program equips women and female graduates with the knowledge and skills to excel in local governance, innovate in districts and Kigali City, and deepen their understanding of local government operations.
Post-program evaluations of the third cycle indicated that 44.1% of graduates obtained jobs, 6.8% were self-employed, and 10.6% continued their studies. Among those employed by the government, 63.5% worked in local government, and 16.6% entered elected leadership positions.
The 2021 local government election report shows that women remain underrepresented in certain areas: at the village level, women make up 39.93% of committees and 14.7% of village leaders; in Cells, women represent 47.3% of council members and 39.4% in administrative offices; in Sectors, women are 47.8% of council members and 38.8% in offices; at the District Council level, women are 46.1%, and 45.7% in administrative offices, while in executive committees, women represent 40.7%.
Overall, the 2021 local government and National Council elections elected 390,638 leaders, including 235,152 women, accounting for 60.2% of total leaders.
