Overview
Rwanda has been a stellar performer in reducing poverty from very high levels during the 2000s and into the 2010s. The Rwandan population as a whole continued to improve its income/consumption and general wellbeing during the 2010s. However, there was a slowdown in poverty reduction in Rwanda between 2013/14 and 2016/17 which had not been anticipated. Both monetary and multi-dimensional poverty reduction slowed during this period.
An analysis with comparator countries shows that Rwanda has performed well in the Human Development Index (HDI), government effectiveness and gender equality, but somewhat less well in reducing monetary poverty. It still has one of the highest levels of poverty in the world, measured both monetarily and multi-dimensionally. Translating growth, stability, human development and greater gender equity into income poverty reduction during the 2010s has not been easy.
Authors: Andrew Shepherd, Alexandre Simons, Kate Bird