A new policy approved by the Cabinet recently lays out procedures and punishment to be meted out in case a persons below the age of 18 is convicted on any crime by a court of law.

The policy, which is already in force, seeks to create a child-friendly justice system, and is specifically aligned with the Justice, Reconciliation, Law and Order Sector strategy that seeks to enhance access to quality justice.

Speaking to The New Times yesterday, the Executive Secretary of National Commission for Children, Zaina Nyiramatama, said the policy will only reinforce what is already in place.

Among others, the policy stipulates that children aged 14 and below cannot be held criminally responsible and that a child cannot be subjected to judicial inquiry, except in cases of recidivism and in any case the remand period should not exceed 15 days.

"This policy underlines participation for children. It further underlines the availability of accessible friendly system through the participation of local people and families in the delivery of justice,” reads the policy.

The objective of the policy is to complement efforts to increase the provision of legal aid and overall access to quality justice for children, she said.

"The strategy is to make Rwanda’s justice system child-responsive and child-friendly. In criminal matters, the policy is, as much as possible, to divert most children from the police-based, prison-based, and law court-based system while making the institution-based system friendlier in its policies and procedures to deliver justice for children,” reads the policy document.

For this to happen, there is need to create a critical mass of community members and justice service providers that have the appropriate attitudes and skills to deliver justice that is responsive and friendly to the child’s survival, developmental, participation, and protection needs.