The First Lady, Jeannette Kagame, is today expected to officially launch the scale-up of Isange One Stop Centre for gender-based violence (GBV) victims at Nyagatare District Hospital, Eastern Province.

The scale-up aims at extending comprehensive services to all victims of GBV across the country. According to officials, the services will include medical, psycho-social, forensic and legal support.

The scale-up follows the successful piloting of the Isange One Stop Centre at Kacyiru Police Hospital in Kigali. Eastern Province has the second highest number of GBV-related cases after the City of Kigali. In the last two years, more than 558 victims have been treated at the GBV centre in Nyagatare alone. 

Following the successful piloting of the Isange One Stop Centre Model at Kacyiru Police Hospital in Kigali, the government is now embarking on a national scale-up in health facilities across the country.  

As part of the drive, six existing centres will be upgraded and 17 new ones established. The Government in partnership with the Dutch Government is financing this activity.

There is hope that by Nyagatare hosting the event, more awareness against GBV will be raised among the population there. Nyagatare is one of the districts in the country with the highest number of gender-based violence cases.