The first woman to be indicted for genocide and rape, former Rwandan Minister of Family and Women Affairs, Pauline Nyiramasuhuko, began presenting her defense at the Genocide hearings – the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda- this week.
In 1995 African Rights published a book "Not so innocent: When women become killers" which details the role played by women in the genocide. Three categories of women participated: those who actively took part in the killings; those who were coerced into killing; and those who were among the crowds of attackers.
Others are civic leaders who they describe as "women who distinguished themselves by their extraordinary cruelty."; catholic nuns who co-operated in the killings; and other government ministers.
