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Mr. Terry J. Lundgren
Chairman, President and CEO
Federated Department Stores, Inc.
Recipient of First UNIFEM Global Championship Award
The Macy's/Rwanda Path to Peace Partnership was established in 2005 to open a global market for women artisans, many of them genocide widows, in the Republic of Rwanda. With a focus on "trade, not aid", the project channels capital directly into the hands of Rwandan women, empowering them to take control of their own lives.
The story began in 2002, when UNIFEM Executive Director Noeleen Heyzer visited Rwanda and was beseeched for help by women who had experienced unspeakable horrors during the 1994 genocide. Many were widowed, some homeless, HIV-positive and deeply traumatized, while caring for families including large numbers of orphans. Heyzer asked the women to show her the crafts they made and was struck by the beauty of the traditional baskets woven by rural women. She approached a group of American businesswomen and asked them to help develop a market for Rwandan basketwork.
One of the businesswomen was UNIFEM supporter Willa Shalit, who founded the Rwanda Path to Peace project and forged a partnership with Macy's, the largest department store in the United States, with annual sales exceeding $15 billion. Terry J. Lundgren, Chairman, President, and CEO of Federated Department Stores, Macy's parent company, immediately supported the partnership.
Today the Rwanda basket business supports more than 2,000 Rwandan women artisans, provides a decent living for their families, and strengthens their communities.—Mr. Terry J. Lundgren
Macy's launched the baskets in the American market in September 2005, with Lundgren and Rwandan President H.E. Paul Kagame in attendance. Macy's now sells the baskets at their flagship Herald Square store in New York and through their internet site.
For many women basket weavers, the project has been transformational. According to Jeanette Nkubana, executive director of Gahaya Links, a local organization acting as intermediary between the weavers and regional and international buyers, "When we found these women, many of them weren't properly clothed, and their children weren't in school ... this weaving initiative has changed their lives."
View a video about the Rwanda Path to Peace Project (Quicktime, 10.2MB)
UNIFEM's support to the women of Rwanda extends beyond economic empowerment. It also includes helping women participate in the political process. In 2001, UNIFEM prepared women to engage in national debate about the new Constitution. UNIFEM supported female parliamentarians to travel throughout the country, to talk to women about the draft Constitution and solicit their feedback. The issue of women's representation in Parliament was hotly debated. During 2004, Rwanda became the country with the highest number of women parliamentarians. Building on that success, UNIFEM also set up a women's caucus in Parliament to review discriminatory laws, granting women the right to inherit property.
