President Kagame was speaking at the opening ceremony of the 12^th edition of the European Development Days (EDD) in Brussels, Belgium. The gathering which run from 5-6 June is themed ‘Women and Girls at the Forefront of Sustainable Development: protect, empower, and invest’ and focuses on the vital role of women and need for their full and equal participation and leadership in achieving SDGs. President Kagame pointed out that for too long, society has created a psychology that women are inferior and can only rise at the mercy of men; a norm that can no longer be tolerated. “Compensating women for where they have been disadvantaged is not enough. We have to truly level the playing field and make public pledges that raise standards and expectations, going forward. It is up to leaders at every level to ensure that there is accountability for changing harmful societal norms. The task cannot just be left to individuals to sort out among themselves,” President Kagame said. “He For She”, or “She Is We”: These should not be mere hashtags, but expressions of our determination to make change really happen. Rights and outcomes are only equal when treatment is equal,” the President supplemented. Using Rwanda’s example of instituting reforms to ensure that women and girls continue to prosper, the President called on world leaders to adopt an approach that focuses more on the benefits that gender equality brings to society. “As a result, no one feels they have lost something and the gains are sustainable,” he added. President Kagame, noted that Rwanda has established insurance scheme that allows women to continue receiving their full salary during twelve weeks of maternity leave, promoting gender equality henceforth. The President applauded the EU for the work on ending inequality which he noted is also at the heart of the African Union Agenda 2063.