Anne Ackermann

documentary photographer & photojournalist
 
Ladies first!
Location: Speyer
Nationality: Germany
Biography: Anne Ackermann is a documentary photographer based in Germany working worldwide. Her work often focuses on women’s and contemporary issues, touching themes ranging from migration and aftermath to skin bleaching and plastic surgery, from... MORE
Public Story
Ladies first!
Copyright Anne Ackermann 2024
Date of Work Jul 2016 - Jul 2016
Updated Dec 2018
Topics Africa, Domestic Violence, Editorial, Essays, Genocide, Peace, Photography, Portraiture, Rwanda, Violence, Women, Womens Rights
In numbers, it looks so beautiful, the new world of gender-equality in Rwanda. 64 % of the members of parliament are women and half of the judges of the Supreme Court. There are more female ministers than male ones. Over 90 % of the communities are run by female majors and many enterprises are in the hands of women.

Women in Rwanda work as pilots, mechanics, develop software, are CEOs of multimedia- companies and hold leading positions in clinics and universities. Gender-equality is a political decision and laws have been drafted to implement it. No other country in the world has inscribed into the constitution, that at least 30 % of the members of both chambers of parliament have to be female.

For centuries Rwandese women had no rights, but since 1999 they are allowed to inherit and own property, half of the assets acquired in a marriage are theirs. It is forbidden for men to beat or discriminate a woman. It is hard to top this female-friendly approach.

The search for the reality behind Rwanda’s politically motivated gender-equality is a road trip through a country that is developing super-rapidly. Rwanda’s capital is very chic, at least in the centre, and then there is a strong political vision: the country shall become the African hub for technology, development, design, and banking.

And yet Rwanda is one of the poorest countries in the world, landlocked, poor in resources, densely inhabited. 70 % of the population live on farming. Poverty in Rwanda is female and so is labour. Can gender-equality be achieved under such circumstances?

Commissioned by GEO Germany, August 2016. 
LinkedIn Icon Facebook Icon Twitter Icon
3,616

Also by Anne Ackermann —

Story

Corticeira Amorim

Anne Ackermann
Story

B BRAUN

Anne Ackermann
Story

YARA INTERNATIONAL

Anne Ackermann
Story

Brot fuer die Welt

Anne Ackermann
Story

Buergerstiftung Hamburg

Anne Ackermann
Story

BOOK

Anne Ackermann / Germany
Story

Casa Buna

Anne Ackermann
Story

Portraits

Anne Ackermann
Story

The most beautiful memory. Recollecting my father.

Anne Ackermann
Story

Female Farmers

Anne Ackermann
Story

Small Suns

Anne Ackermann
Story

Bishara loves Hassan

Anne Ackermann
Story

African Childrens Choir

Anne Ackermann
Story

Plan International

Anne Ackermann
Story

USAID

Anne Ackermann
Story

The fishtrain of Mr. Mbaye

Anne Ackermann
Story

BREAD PURISTS

Anne Ackermann
Story

ELLERMANN SPIEGEL

Anne Ackermann
Story

PERSPEKTIVEN / DAAD

Anne Ackermann
Story

Education Island

Anne Ackermann
Story

Wakaliwood

Anne Ackermann
Story

Behind Veils and Walls

Anne Ackermann
Story

Inclusion in Cameroon

Anne Ackermann
Story

Beatrice

Anne Ackermann
Ladies first! by Anne Ackermann
Sign-up for
For more access