Rwanda has a strong policy commitment to gender equality, ranking among the top ten countries globally for their efforts to close gender gaps. However, women remain disproportionately vulnerable to climate impacts such as floods and droughts due to entrenched social norms and unequal access to resources.  

While women make up 72% of the agricultural workforce, they receive only 25.5% of agricultural loans, limiting their ability to invest in resilience and recover from climate shocks. They also face a higher burden of unpaid care work and increased risks of gender-based violence during disasters. 

This analysis, commissioned by the Centre of Excellence on Gender-smart Solutions and conducted by Oxford Policy Management in support of the Global Shield against Climate Risks, assesses how Rwanda’s Climate and Disaster Risk Finance and Insurance (CDRFI) systems integrate gender considerations.  

Key challenges include gaps between policy commitments and implementation, limited gender-disaggregated data, and low financial inclusion among women and marginalised groups. Insurance products are often gender-neutral and do not fully address the needs of women farmers and informal workers. 

The report provides recommendations on how to strengthen gender-disaggregated data systems, mainstream gender-responsive approaches across policies and insurance schemes, expand access to affordable microinsurance, and improve financial and digital literacy to ensure CDRFI reaches the most vulnerable.