MIGEPROF’s mandate is to coordinate the formulation and implementation of national policies, strategies and programs regarding the promotion of Gender Equality and Women empowerment, Family promotion and children’s rights protection.

This is achieved through developing and disseminating policies, strategies and programs; drafting laws, setting up programs and strategies all related to gen­der equality, women empowerment, family promotion and child protection.

The 2018 year left remarkable achievements:

Preventive and responsive mechanisms to stunting and malnutrition boosted

Following the set-up of the National Early Childhood Development Program (NECDP) in October 2017, the GoR envisions to reduce malnutrition among children under 5 years from 38 to 29.9 % by 2020. As part of this move, knowl­edge on ECD interventions was increased through awareness campaigns that were conducted in 30 Districts on good practices on nutrition, hygiene, involve­ment in ECDs services, child protection, early learning as well as inclusion of children with disabilities conducted. In addition, 1,154 Caregivers, 416 Inshuti Z’Umuryango (IZU), 859 districts and sectors’ staff intervening in social welfare were trained on the integrated ECD services.

30 ECD Model centers were established across the country to provide holistic services to children under 6 years. The Government built 3 low cost ECD centers in 13 districts that are most affected by stunting and malnutrition namely: Ny­abihu, Ngororero, Karongi, Rubavu, Rutsiro, Rusizi, Nyamagabe, Huye, Nyaru­guru, Ruhango, Gakenke, Kayonza and Bugesera.

In May 2018, The Prime Minister, Right Honorable Edouard Ngirente launched ‘Rwanda Stunting Prevention and Reduction Project’ (SPRP) which is sup­ported by the World Bank. The project worth of $ 55 million aims at reducing stunting rates among children under age 5 in 13 of Rwanda’s highest-stunting districts. This will be achieved by supporting community-based approaches, improve the delivery of high-impact nutrition and health interventions, incen­tivize frontline community health workers and health personnel, strengthen accountability mechanisms, and promote a learning-by-doing approach to draw lessons on what works and how it can be scaled up.

Family Promotion, child protection and GBV Prevention and response

In the area of family promotion, child protection GBV prevention and response, a number of achievements were recorded, including:

The Governance and Family Welfare Campaign was jointly conducted by MIGE­PROF in collaboration with other Social Cluster’s Ministries under the theme ‘Building the Family We Want, Say no to Child Defilement”. During the cam­paign that run from 11 October 2018 up to 10 December 2018, a number of activities were carried out. The campaign focused on integrated maternal and child health campaign where 45,984 beneficiaries were sensitized on family planning, screening of malnutrition that targeted children aged from 6 to 59 months.

In the framework of fighting gender based violence, during the Gender Ac­countability Day (GAD) held in Ngororero district between 17-23/11/2018, 100 teen mothers were provided with psycho-trauma counseling services through GBV clinics that brought together GBV victims including teen mothers and their parents for discussion. These clinics were conducted in 3 Districts that are Gisagara, Musanze and Nyamasheke. 1308 babies were registered in civil books including children born from teen mothers whilst 397 couples le­galized their marriages and 389 vul­nerable persons were supported with health insurance.

Indashyikirwa model also known as agents of change was scaled up. The model aims at reducing intimate part­ner violence by using a gender syn­chronized approach, bringing about sustainable social change through the engagement of men and women at the individual, family and commu­nity level. It was implemented in 04 Districts (Kirehe, Gatsibo, Nyagatare, Ngoma), resulting in training 640 cou­ples for five months on women and men empowerment towards the pre­vention of GBV in communities.

A number of 5,500 local leaders from 9 Districts and 10,700 Inshuti Z’Umuryango (IZU) operating in 11 Districts were trained on child protec­tion system in Rwanda.

154 District and Sector DASSO Coor­dinators were trained as trainers of trainers on GBV prevention and re­sponse; 206 IOSC staff were trained on GBV prevention & response mul­tidisciplinary services. 02 shelters for GBV victims were constructed at Rwinkwavu and Gakoma District Hospitals and currently 44 IOSCs scattered across the country were provided with running costs.

Gender Equality Promotion and women empowerment

With the support of the Swedish In­ternational Development Agency (SIDA) through UN WOMEN, a joint project on ‘Advancing and Sustaining Gender Equality Gains in Rwanda’ was implemented. As a result, the Na­tional Gender Machinery institutions’ capacity was strengthened through capacity building and transformation al leadership trainings that targeted 65 people (31 Middle Managers and 34 Executive Managers) from The Na­tional Gender Machinery Institutions, public and private sectors.

In regard of mainstreaming gender across both public and private pro­grams, 107 staffs from central and lo­cal government, PSF, CSOs and FBOs were trained on Gender Economic Policy Management to enable them analyzing gender situation in their respective programs. 50 Chief Editors (38 men & 12 women) were trained on Gender mainstreaming within media houses and Gender Sensitive Code of conduct & Ethics for media in the framework of having a gender responsive media.

The National Gender and Family Clus­ter was also revived in a bid to boost up coordination and synergizing efforts among MIGEPROF, National Gender Machinery Institutions and other partners intervening in Gen­der and Family Promotion areas. The cluster consists of sub clusters namely: Gender Equality and Women Empowerment (GEWE), Family Pro­motion and GBV Prevention, Child Protection and Early Childhood De­velopment sub-clusters.

It also abetted in planning and im­plementing the Gender Budget state­ment and the Gender Management Information System (GMIS) to further enhance generation of sex disaggre­gated data and information to en­hance evidence-based planning and decision making.

The project also contributed a lot in mind-set change and awareness raising on Gender Equality through #HeForShe outreach campaigns and other home grown initiatives like Umugoroba w’Ababyeyi.

The women and girls’ empowerment flagship of the program improved liv­ing conditions of vulnerable women and girls including former street ven­dors and teen mothers through earn­ings generated from startup capital as well as trainings in entrepreneur­ship, mentorship and leadership that were provided. In this regard, 10,410 women’s Projects were supported through BDF products, 1,104 Adoles­cent Girls Initiative (AGI) graduates have been supported with toolkits and loan facility in Gicumbi, Rulindo, Gasabo and Kicukiro Districts; 1661 girls including teen mothers were mentored on career guidance, lead­ership and entrepreneurship in Dis­tricts (Nyaruguru & Bugesera).

Prospects for 2019

The Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion is looking forward for the 2019 prospects that are aligned with NST1: Strengthening coordination mechanism through operationaliza­tion of Gender and Family Cluster (NGFC); reducing chronic malnutri­tion-stunting among under 5 Chil­dren from 38% (2016-17) to 19% by 2024 through distributing Food and vitamin supplements using Fortified Blended Food (FBF), one Cup of milk per child to those already affected, promoting at the village level the 1,000 days, promote positive values (gender equality and equity) from the early childhood; continue work­ing closely with the Private sector, CSOs, Religious Based Organizations in fighting malnutrition and stunting, raising awareness on ECD services, family promotion and gender equal­ity via men engage approach.

MIGEPROF will keep putting much efforts in sensitizing the public on strengthening the family cohesion towards human capital and sus­tainable development that are in line with NST1 and building a stable family; free of malnourished/stunted children, GBV, domestic violence and poverty.