As the world marked the International Human Rights Day, youth from different human rights groups in the country gathered yesterday to deliberate on ways of ensuring that women and child rights are respected.

At an event that drew about 130 youth, the US Ambassador to Rwanda, Donald W. Koran, commended Rwanda’s achievements in line with fundamental human rights, 20 years after the Genocide against the Tutsi.

"Here in Rwanda, reconciliation continues to be important. Recognising the fundamental human rights of all citizens will help foster a culture of human rights. To promote such a culture, people and organisations need to speak openly to address human rights challenges and opportunities,” Koran said.

The project coordinator of Youth for Human Rights, Prisca Ntabaza, said such a gathering provides youth with a platform to express their views and share experience on how to improve advocacy for human rights.

"Women and child rights are violated in homes but getting to know about these cases is very hard and even providing evidence in courts is difficult, that’s why we are embarking on sensitising people about fundamental rights,” said Jean Claude Mahoro, a student at the University of Rwanda.

The co-founder of Never Again Rwanda, Albert Nzamukwereka, said as the world marked the International Human Rights Day, Never Again Rwanda chose to focus on the youth as future leaders.

"There are still cases related to women and child rights violations and to counter them there is need for people to know their rights and also respect other people’s rights,” Nzamukwereka said.

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