Rwanda National Police

Over 1,000 students of Tabagwe and Gikagati Secondary Schools located in Tabagwe and Karama sectors, respectively, were on Friday sensitized on various forms of child abuse and Gender Based Violence.

The students were urged to stand up for their rights and report all sorts of abuse they experience or witness.

The awareness campaign was conducted by the police in partnership with Youth Association for Human Rights and Development (AJPRODO).

Narcisse Ntawigenera, the head of AJPRODO in Nyagatare, while addressing students of Tabagwe Secondary School, asked them to break silence on the abuses they face at home, school or communities.

He also urged them to report incidences of gender based violence in between their parents or in their communities.

“Child abuse and GBV arr human rights violations, they have far reaching psychological and physical consequences to victims," Ntawigenera said.

"When parents are conflicting children are affected; lack of parental care, others end up leaving school, their homes and going on streets where they become wrongdoers. In short conflicts in families also becomes a bleeding ground for criminals," he added.

Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Jean Claude Kaburabuza, the Nyagatare District Community Liaison Officer (DCLO), spoke at length about the forms of GBV, and the manner the vice is committed.

“Both women, men could be victims of GBV. It can be constant mockery and perhaps physically attached. These sometimes result into violent conflicts and at times people kill each other," the DCLO explained.

He asked them to report conflicts their parents could be facing to help concerned authorities to address them before they turn violent.

CIP Kaburabuza also asked the students to shun narcotic drugs and join campaigns to fight the vice by reporting those involved to security agencies and other concerned authorities.