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Rwanda has the most women MPs |
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 Rwanda has beaten Sweden by getting the highest proportion of women
into Parliament, voting them on to 39 seats in the lower chamber of
deputies, a level amounting to 48.8% of the seats. In the voting, which
began on September 30, women won 15 of the seats that were also open to
men.
Sweden's women hold 45,3% of seats in the country's single-chamber
Parliament. Denmark is third with 38%, followed by Finland with 37,5%
and The Netherlands with 36,7%. Britain is in 50th place with 17,9%,
and the US house of representatives ties at 60th place with Andorra,
with 14,3%.
The voting in Rwanda was the first multiparty legislative election
in the country. Previously, Rwandan women had held 25,7% of the seats.
In separate voting for the 26-seat senate, Rwandan women filled only the six seats allotted them by the constitution.
A parliamentary union said it was working to make sure the
constitution made many provisions guaranteeing minimum participation by
women.
"It is also clear that Rwandan women are enthusiastic about the political process and keen to be party to it."
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