Rwanda National Police

The Regional Center of Excellence on Gender Based Violence and Child Abuse has begun a series of capacity building trainings for security organs in Rwanda to harmonise their understanding and response to Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

The training that will be conducted in all districts across the country brings together Rwanda National Police (RNP), Rwanda Defense Forces (RDF), Immigration, Rwanda Correctional Service (RCS) and District Administrative Security Support Organ (DASSO).

At least 300 people will benefit from the training countrywide.

While presiding over the opening of training in Nyagatare District, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Emmanuel Hatari, the Eastern Region Police Commander (RPC), reiterated the role of security organs to end violence against women and girls.

He mentioned that objective was not only to raise awareness of GBV, but also to highlight the “key role security organs have to play as duty bearers in both the prevention and response to GBV”.

The increasing number of GBV cases, he said, requires having same understanding of the problem and joint response.

“Last year, 1400 cases of child pregnancies were recorded across the Eastern Province, the consequences of pregnancy at such a young age are dire.

The girls usually drop out of school and at times take the risk of having an unsafe abortion”, said ACP Hatari.

The mayor of Nyagatare, David Mushabe hailed security organs for the initiative.

He observed that there should be stronger links between schools, security, local leaders and the health system to build an environment that supports continued awareness among adolescents and others faced with early pregnancies.

Mushabe noted that grasroots leaders should be equipped to offer psychosocial support to meet the special needs of teen mothers where cases have been identified, but to also support in bringing offenders to justice.

ACP Lynder Nkuranga, the Executive Director for the Regional Center of Excellence on GBV and Child Abuse, who is also the Commissioner for Cooperation in RNP, said the training is building on an initiative that began earlier this year to equip security organs to skillfully confront GBV challenges.

ACP Nkuranga mentioned that national and international legal frameworks provide women and girls with protection from violence.

She said RNP Gender Focal Persons from all police Units and specialized departments countrywide will also be trained in effective service delivery, roles and responsibilities in relation to GBV prevention.

ACP Nkuranga observed that the training will bring about coordination and cooperation within law enforcement, security organs and local leaders to provide comprehensive prevention and response services to communities.

Hubert Rutaro, the Provincial Criminal Investigator (PCI)  emphasized that timely information sharing on suspects is essential to allow proper investigations to successfully prosecute criminal.

The Regional Center of Excellence on Gender Based Violence and Child Abuse is the coordination office for Kigali International Conference Declaration (KICD) secretariat, which brings together over 40 African member countries.

The secretariat is based in Kigali - Rwanda.