The Effect of Regional Economic Integration Laws on East African Community Women’s Participation in Global Business in Kigali City, Rwanda
Kangabe Mireille – Mount Kenya University, Kigali, Rwanda
Eugenia Nkechi Irechukwu – Mount Kigali University, Kigali, Rwanda
Email: mirkangabe@gmail.com
Abstract: Women’s economic empowerment is a critical component of regional integration and sustainable development in Africa. This study examined The Effect of Regional Economic Integration Laws on East African Community Women’s Participation in Global Business in Kigali City, Rwanda. The study was guided by Balassa’s Theory of Economic Regional Integration, Keohane, and Nye’s Complex Interdependence Theory and adopted a descriptive cross-sectional research design. Data were collected from 120 respondents, representing a 96.7% response rate from a sample of 124 drawn from a target population of 177. Respondents included government representatives, civil society actors, women entrepreneurs, and local residents selected through stratified random sampling. Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire that demonstrated high reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.891). Descriptive findings indicated that respondents generally agreed that regional economic integration laws support women’s participation in global business (M = 3.80, SD = 0.89). Correlation analysis revealed a strong positive and statistically significant relationship between regional economic integration laws andwomen’s participation in global business (r = 0.721, p < 0.01). Multiple regression analysis further established that regional economic integration laws significantly predicted women’s participation in global business (β = 0.291, p < 0.001), after controlling for gender policy and the East African Common Market. The study concludes that favourable regional economic integration laws are significantly associated with higher levels of women’s participation in global business. However, implementation challenges and structural barriers continue to limit the realization of these benefits. The study recommends strengthening the enforcement of regional integration laws, simplifying cross-border trade procedures, and expanding legal literacy programmes for women entrepreneurs.
