Rwanda National Police

The ministries of Gender and Family Promotion, Health and Justice, and Rwanda National Police (RNP) will on January 6 officially start a countrywide field visit to assess the performance and effectiveness of the scale-up and rehabilitation of Isange One Stop Centres (IOSC) in responding to issues related to gender based violence and child abuse.

During the two-week exercise, the joint field monitoring team will visit all the current 17 established Isange centres situated in district hospitals.

The scale-up of Isange started early last year in Nyagatare District as RNP and other charged institutions seeks to take the holistic services that include free medical, psycho-socio and legal services closer to the people, and to strengthen the campaign against GBV and child abuse.

According to Supt. Shafiga Murebwayire, the coordinator of Isange centres, the joint monitoring team will assess the impact of the centres to area residents and identify existing challenges.

“The field visits will help to document achievements of the centres so far, identify any challenges and arising risks from the implementation of the IOSC scaling up programme, but more importantly taking mitigating measures on time. In general, the whole idea is meant to reinforce the effectiveness of these centres by rectifying any risks and challenges involved,” Supt. Murebwayire said.

“The joint team will also identify services that are provided at different centres and categories of beneficiaries, service delivery, lessons learnt and recommendations for future planning and decision making.”

In the Eastern Province, Isange centres were established in Nyagatare, Ngoma, Rwamagana, Kayonza and Gatsibo; in the Southern, they are operational in Huye, Nyamagabe, Kamonyi, Gisagara and Ruhango.

In the Western, they operate in Rubavu, Ngororero, Nyabihu and Karongi; Musanze and Rulindo in the Northern.

The first Isange One Stop Centres was created in July 2009 at Kacyiru Police Hospital as a multi-sectoral and interdisciplinary programme aimed at providing psychosocial, medical, police and legal services to adult and child survivors of gender based violence and child abuse occurring in the family or in the community at large.

Isange also has provisions for emergency contraception, HIV prophylaxis, STI prevention, and other medications.