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Kinyarwanda
On August 25, the Rwanda National Police in partnership with the ministries of Gender and Family Promotion, Justice and Health launched a countrywide awareness exercise against gender-based violence and child abuse, which are still considered relatively high in the country.
The month-long campaign was conducted under the theme “Act together in Prevention and Response to GBV and Child Abuse.” It was organized under the scale-up of Isange One-Stop Centre model which started in 2009 as a pilot project at Kacyiru Police Hospital.
Statistics from the RNP anti-GBV and child protection directorate indicate that a total of 3127 cases of defilement were registered in 2012 and 2013. A total of 325 cases of rape were also recorded in the same period. Twenty five men were also killed by their spouses and 67 women killed by their husbands in the same years
In July and August this year alone, 567 cases related to GBV and child abuse were reported across the country, where 12 people were killed and over 60 others seriously assaulted either by their spouses, neighbors or relatives.
In the broadest terms, gender-based violence is violence directed at an individual based on his or her biological sex, gender identity, or his or her perceived adherence to socially defined norms of masculinity and femininity.
In Rwanda, the vice is said to be caused by gender inequality, ignorance, traditional norms that give power to men, drug abuse and property conflicts, among others.
“Majority of the cases we receive at Isange are related to gender and child abuse, and we found it necessary to engage the general population in order to prevent such incidences and also break silence. We believe there are still many women and children out there that are still facing these challenges and we want everyone to know their rights, open up and report challenges they face in their homes and communities to ensure that justice is served,” Chief Inspector of Police Shafiga Murebwayire, the coordinator of Isange, said.
The centre established by RNP with the support of the First Lady Jeannette Kagame and One-UN Rwanda has since received about 70, 000 cases and plans are underway to scale it up in all district hospitals across the country by 2017.
Isange provides free psycho-socio, medical and legal services to adult and child survivors of gender based violence and child abuse.
“This annual awareness is therefore meant to ensure that Rwandans understand their role in fighting these human rights abuses and to give hope to survivors for the future instead of being isolated. We want families to learn how to openly address their domestic issues and report to police in time to ensure that justice is served, and victim given holistic care including medical and legal,” CIP Murebwayire adds.
“GBV has diverse negative consequences including unplanned pregnancies, unsafe abortion, sexually transmitted diseases, psychological trauma, family conflicts, death and physical disabilities; and is an obstacle to peaceful relations in families and communities. This annual campaign, therefore, increase community awareness on gender issues and response by police and justice,” Supt. Belline Mukamana, the head of RNP Anti-GBV and Child Protection directorate, said.
Fighting GBV and child abuse is among the RNP priorities.
The Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion says Rwanda’s achievement in response to incidences of sexual and gender violence and child abuse are “visible and commendable.”
“Rwanda has shown a strong political will to prevent and fight Gender -Based Violence. The constitution was amended to highlights a gender dimension that covers SGBV among other issues, ratified, domesticated and popularized regional and international conventions and implemented legal and policy frameworks to serve as a foundation to better tackle the challenges of gender-based violence,” …said.
The ministry, she says, works closely with other public and private institutions like RNP to collectively implement local and international laws on anti-SGBV and child abuse.
The international and regional conventions include the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (1979), and the Platform for Action adopted at the UN World Conference on Women in Beijing (1995).
Rwanda’s legal reforms, in 1999, also gave women and girls property rights, including the right to inherit land from their parents, which was treated like a taboo previously.
She said institutions like Rwanda National Police and Rwanda Defence Forces have been at the forefront in implementing these national and international laws and protocols. The awareness campaign, she adds, have been vital in breaking silence and bringing to light challenges faced by women and children in their families and communities.
In 2010, RNP and RDF organized a high level International conference on the role of security organs to end violence against women and girl. This was in line with the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325/2000 on women peace and security.
