The Rwanda Association of Local Government Authorities (Ralga) and the Gender Monitoring Office (GMO) entered a memorandum of understanding aimed at enhancing collaboration in the area of gender mainstreaming in Local Government.

The MoU was signed yesterday in Kigali by Rose Rwabuhihi, the Chief Gender Monitor, and Théogène Karake, the Secretary General of Ralga.

Under the deal, the parties committed to jointly promoting gender in Local Government, mainly through effective planning, monitoring, evaluation and policy implementation.

Rwabuhihi said the collaboration will foster efforts geared at mainstreaming gender and help curb gender-based violence.

 "We hope it will help us join efforts in the promotion of gender parity and fight against GBV,” Rwabuhihi said.

Karake, on his part, noted that the government has shown strong political will to fight gender-based violence by putting in place necessary political, legal and institutional frameworks to tackle the vice.

He stressed the importance of coordinating various initiatives geared at addressing gender imbalance.

Under the partnership, GMO will provide required information to Local Government on capacity building needs and facilitate the documentation and dissemination of gender best practices in Local Government. GMO remains committed to gender-sensitive service delivery, Rwabuhihi added.

Both parties also resolved to ensure that districts performance contracts (Imihigo) are gender sensitive.