Rwanda ranked as second safest country for solo female travellers
Rwanda has earned the second spot as the safest country for solo female travellers. This is attributed to its welcoming and friendly atmosphere and commitment to ensuring the safety and inclusion of women. The ranking was recently released by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), which consulted with Georgetown University's Women's Peace and Security Index, the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap report, and the Institute for Economics and Peace Global Peace Index.
The BBC also spoke to women who had travelled alone to these top-ranking countries to understand what contributed to their sense of safety, gather their travel tips, and identify the best activities to partake in as a solo adventurer.
With over 60% of its parliamentary seats occupied by women, Rwanda ranks as the number one country globally for gender equality in parliament, according to the Women's Peace and Security Index. Additionally, it ranks highly in the index's assessment of community safety and sixth in the world in the Global Gender Gap Index, which measures a country's equity in areas such as economics, education, healthcare, and political participation.
The government in Rwanda recognizes the essential role of women in the country's development and transformation journey.
Despite the trend of solo travel, women still face unique challenges when travelling alone, encountering discrimination and safety concerns worldwide. However, many countries, including Rwanda, have made significant efforts to improve safety for women and measure attitudes towards female safety.
The BBC Travel article also highlighted other countries that ranked highly, including Slovenia, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, and Norway. These top-ranked countries share common characteristics, such as financial inclusion for women, the absence of legal discrimination, community safety, low violent crime rates, and minimal external or internal conflicts. They also have cities that are safe to walk around at night, which makes it easier for women to explore independently. These countries have made a concerted effort to prioritize women's safety, as evidenced by their high rankings.
