There is need for collective efforts to fight Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the country, an official has said.

Oda Gasinzigwa, the Minister for Gender and Family promotion particularly urged religious leaders to promote family dialogue as a strategy to end Gender Based Violence in families.

Gasinzigwa was speaking at the closure of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence on Tuesday. She said fighting GBV is a collective responsibility of everyone in the community.

"Rwandans should know that gender equality is for all Rwandans. It has been reported that gender equality programmes have led to some cases of GBV, especially in families,” Gasinzigwa said.  

According to statistics highlighted at the conference, in 2012, upto 39 murder cases were recorded among spouses, 28 of which were committed by husbands, while this year, 178 women were physically assaulted by their husbands.At least 43 assaults were committed against men this year.

Reading the statistics, Sheikh Musa Fazil Harerimana, the minister for Internal Security, attributed Gender Based Violence in families to social vices like alcoholism and land disputes.

"Fighting GBV requires fighting social vices caused by poor upbringing. It is inhuman for a man to beat his wife or children because he is drunk,” he said.

The global theme for this year’s 16 Days of Activism against gender violence was: "From Peace in the home to peace in the world; Let’s challenge militarism and end violence against women.”

But Rwanda marked the days under the theme: "Fighting gender-based violence is my responsibility,” during which awareness campaigns were conducted.

Besides establishing the Isange One Stop Centre in every district hospital, the mechanisms in place to fight against GBV in families include the Neighbour’s watch policy, locally known as Umugoroba wa babyeyi (loosely translated to mean "Evening Dialogue among parents) where parents meet to discuss issue affecting families.