Editor,

The Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion would like to clear the confusion about the discussion the Honorable Minister, Dr. Jeanne d’Arc MUJAWAMARIYA had before the Chamber of Parliament on 9th March 2010 as reported in The New Times of 11th March 2010.

The article stated that the Ministry was setting up an adoption center to handle all adoption issues including legal procedures.

This is not true. Instead, Hon. Dr. Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya said that when the Presidential Order ratifying the Hague Convention is signed and published in the Official Gazette, then the Government may choose to approve adoption services providers to collaborate with the existing Government authority mandated to follow up adoption matters.

Rwanda is yet to sign the Hague Convention of the protection of children and cooperation in respect of intercountry adoption which provides for legal framework under which intercountry adoption is handled.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion is the Government authority charged with regulating adoption services in Rwanda.

This mission is fulfilled in collaboration with local leaders, orphanages, the Ministry of Justice, Rwandan Embassies in the States of origin of prospective adoptive parents and the States themselves.

Joie- Grace Ruzibiza
Information and Communication Officer at MIGEPROF