In Gikomero, widow Marie Louise used to walk for hours to collect water, leaving her drained and with little energy to tend to her vegetable business and grandchildren. A rainwater harvesting tank, installed by UN Women, was a gamechanger.
“I can grow more, sell more, and take better care of my grandchildren,” she says.
Rwanda is pairing practical fixes with bold legal change. In July 2024, the country revised its Law Governing Persons and Family to recognize unpaid care work in marital property, valuing it at 10–39 per cent of jointly acquired assets. It was a landmark step and UN Women’s survey was key in proving that women spend 3.7 hours a day on unpaid care, more than triple the time of men.
By writing care into law, Rwanda sent a clear signal that the invisible work that sustains families and communities is real labour. And it counts.
In communities, time-saving infrastructure is spreading: 1,100+ energy-efficient cookstoves and 92 rainwater tanks are easing daily routines. A 2025 study found women used the saved hours to farm, run small businesses, and attend training; households also saw health gains from cleaner cooking.
Rwanda is also reimagining who does the caring. In Nyaruguru, Ngoma and Kirehe, new Early Childhood Development centres provide a safe place to learn and thrive, while trained caregivers focus on nutrition and child-centred learning. The result? Mothers gain precious hours for work and rest, and local women step into paid roles as professional caregivers.
Mindsets are shifting too. A UN Women awareness campaign streamed on radio and TV is encouraging men and boys to step up at home. In the latest survey, 98 per cent of households reported more male participation in caregiving. And to lock in this progress, Rwanda is weaving care into public finance using UN Women’s Engendering Fiscal Space Tool – so water tanks, clean stoves and childcare centres aren’t just pilot projects, but the new normal. This work is supported by the Government of Germany, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
