English
Kinyarwanda
Participants in the just concluded fourth Kigali International Conference Declaration (KICD) Annual General Meeting for Security Organs in ending violence against women and girls, on November 25 visited Kigali Memorial Centre in Gisozi to pay respects to over one million Rwandans killed during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.
At Gisozi, the delegation laid wreath to mass graves containing over 250,000 bodies of people killed killed in and around Kigali city during the one hundred days of extermination.
They were also explained on how the Genocide was planned and executed, the evil role played by colonialists including sowing hatred ideologies among Rwandans , which made the dark days inevitable.
One of the visitors, Laurencia W. Akorli, from Ghana Police Service said: “What I have seen here at the genocide memorial is very heartbreaking. It is a real dehumanization of humanity, a massive destruction of great potentials.”
“Thanks to God there is now hope for Rwanda and by the grace of God they will become a great nation from which a lot of other nations will learn to love, be united and work for prosperity, “she added.
Mali Police Chief, Kansaye Hamidou, said: “This is something I cannot have the right words to explain. The genocide against the Tutsi should never have happened and Rwanda should serve as an example to other communities that such intolerable cruelty has no place in our continent.”
The delegation also visited Isange One Stop centre situated at Kacyiru Police hospital where they were briefed on the free holistic care given to victims of gender based violence including medical and legal support.
The fourth KICD AGM adopted the centre as a model to prevent and respond to challenges women and girls face.
“Initially, the center handled three to Four cases a day but now the center has a capacity of handling 10 cases daily” CIP Murebwayire," the Director of Isange said.
The centre has so far received about 80,000 GBV related cases since its establishment in 2009.
There are now 11 operational Isange One Stop centers in the country and plans are underway to scale it up to all district hospitals across the country.
Inspector Cathrine Imbondy, Namibia National Coordinator of women and Protection Unit said that with such an expertise and facilities, no doubt that subjects related to GBV will be taken care of and victims will be assisted.
Kasale, the Zambia National Coordinator of Victims support Unit, said that it's a learning experience that both countries will share in the fight against crimes made on women and girls today.
“It is hard to believe how Isange One stop center is rising in terms handling women and children cases compared to last three years when I was in Rwanda and am sure this kind of development is very rare to find in other countries” Kasale said.
