Nearly three in 10 women in the Rwandan creative industry say they regularly encounter uncomfortable comments, while 12 percent report regularly receiving sexual propositions, according to a new study on women’s experiences in the sector.
The study, which examined women’s experiences in the creative industry, found that 36.25 percent of respondents had experienced uncomfortable comments sometimes, while 29 percent said such comments happened regularly.
Sexual propositions were also reported with notable frequency. Twenty-nine per cent of respondents said they had experienced them sometimes, while 12 percent said they experienced them regularly.
The findings suggest that for many women, unwanted sexualised interactions form part of their repeated experience of navigating the creative sector.
The research is a multi-country project covering Rwanda, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal and Uganda; in the country, it’s implemented by the University of Rwanda alongside other partners.
The findings point to a recurring challenge for women seeking to establish and advance careers in an industry where professional opportunities can depend heavily on networks, collaborations, performances and interactions with other industry players.
“The comments normally start with a normal compliment, either about your body, face or outfit. From there, they may ask for your phone number. Many of them even expect you to sleep with them at the end of the night because they see you singing in a bar or at an event late at night and assume you are selling your body for money too,” said a Kigali karaoke singer who requested anonymity.
“Even our bosses, trainers or other people in leadership positions can tell us, ‘Before I put you on the performance list, you need to do something for me.’ There are a lot of dangers, especially when you are working in an unsafe environment and doing late-night shifts. All you can do is learn how to handle such situations better and move forward.”
The research also examined broader forms of gender-related challenges facing women in the industry.
Sixty-one per cent of respondents reported experiencing discrimination in the industry, while 48.75 percent said gender-related barriers affected their careers.
The study also found that 42.5 percent of respondents had experienced discrimination during interviews, illustrating that gender-related challenges can emerge even before women secure opportunities in the industry.
The study also found that 23 percent reported gender-linked underpayment.
According to Jolly Rubagiza, Director of the Center for Gender Studies at the University of Rwanda and principal investigator of the project, the disparity is partly linked to the sector’s informal nature, where salaries are often not fixed, and many young women have limited power to negotiate.
“Women, especially young women, are not in leadership. They are mostly in technical jobs or are the faces of the industry, depending on what they are doing. If it is music or entertainment, they may be on stage, but they are not necessarily the owners of the businesses, the big producers or the people making most of the money,” she said.
“ Because the sector is informal and does not always require contracts, young women, especially those who are new, do not negotiate better terms. You find that women and men are doing the same work, but the women are paid less because they did not negotiate better terms.”
The research also highlights that 96.25 percent of respondents said they wanted to pursue long-term careers in the creative industry. In comparison, 89.75 percent said they felt they were thriving and 88.25 percent reported satisfaction with their career progression.
According to the report, the figures suggest that the persistence of harassment and other gender-related barriers has not diminished women’s interest in building careers in the creative economy.
Instead, the findings raise questions about what more can be done to ensure that women can pursue those careers in professional environments free from recurring unwanted sexual conduct and discrimination.
Adelphine Ntagara, the project’s National Creative Ambassador, said some creatives experience harassment that also follows them into online spaces, where comments about their appearance can quickly turn into sexual advances and abuse, highlighting that such experiences can affect how women express themselves and engage with their audiences.
“Many inappropriate things happen in comment sections, where you can find someone inviting you out for the night on a public platform, even though they do not know you. That is the mindset we want to change. You are a creative person and a human being, but sometimes people treat you as though you are not a real person, as though they can say whatever they want to you.”
She said repeated online harassment can make creatives reluctant to share their work or opinions publicly.
“When I see people commenting on those things, I feel like I am not a real person. I won’t be displaying my content or my opinion. I will not do anything because already they have stopped me from doing what I was supposed to do. We need people to change their mindset, and we hope this research will be productive and bring change.”
Iribagiza said addressing these challenges requires changes both within the creative industry and in the systems surrounding young women working in it.
She said greater awareness is a starting point, particularly because some creatives do not know what protections exist, where to report harassment, or who can help them when they face inappropriate treatment.
“Knowledge is power. People need first to understand what is there; ministries, employers and creative institutions should put in place supportive workplace policies and clear mechanisms for reporting sexual harassment,” she said.
The research also points to the need for stronger institutional support, including safer and more inclusive workplaces, better access to professional opportunities and measures that can help young women negotiate fairer working conditions.
Iribagiza also said that it requires changing attitudes and involving men in creating workplaces where women can participate on equal terms.
“It’s not about attacking men. It’s not about saying that they are responsible, but changing some of these cultural tendencies and trying to make the workplace more inclusive,” she said.
The researchers also recommend greater support for women with care responsibilities, alongside efforts to extend creative opportunities beyond Kigali, where young women involved in crafts, music, dance and other forms of cultural expression often report having fewer opportunities than their counterparts in the capital.
“Young mothers working in the largely informal creative sector often struggle to find or afford childcare while pursuing their careers.”
