Rwanda takes anti-GBV drive to the next level

As the world marks 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence (GBV), Rwanda has taken a different approach from the global agenda, an approach that officials say is tailoured to the realities in the country.At the global level, the campaign that started yesterday is running under the theme: “Let’s challenge militarism and end violence against women.”But the campaign’s organisers in Rwanda decided on a different theme which is: “Fighting gender-based violence is my responsibility”.“We did not adopt the international theme because it does not fit in our context. In various countries, security organs perpetrate GBV, but in our context, our security organs are involved in the fight against the vice,” said Christine Tuyisenge, the executive secretary of the National Women Council. She said the security organs in Rwanda do not only protect victims against violence, but have also established services like Isange One Stop Centre, hotlines, and gender desks at police and military posts.The planning committee went ahead to change the timing of the international activism by merging it with a national Anti-GBV campaign that will go beyond the 16 days.“The 16 days mostly focus on violence against women but the entire campaign will focus on GBV of any kind. The campaign will go beyond the normal period until January 10,” Tuyisenge said.The events to mark the activism period will begin on November 30, with a ceremony in Ngoma District and will coincide with the community work (Umuganda) held every last Saturday of the month.The month-long gender campaign seeks to bring on board various actors, agencies, faith-based organisations, and civil society. The campaign will focus on raising awareness about the occurrence and magnitude of gender-based violence and its impact. Tuyisenge says although One Stop Centres have been established for victims at district hospitals, they cannot serve all people in the countryside.The campaign will employ mass media to reach various target audiences such as the parents, youth and workers.Angelique Umulisa, the Programme manager of Pro-Fammes Twese Hamwe, a civil society organisation involved in the planning of the campaign, said they plan to reach all corners of the country.“We have zero tolerance to GBV and that is why we changed the international theme to include everyone in the community,” Umulisa said.Umulisa said GBV efforts have been well received and the country is on the right track. The president of African Development Bank, Donald Kaberuka, said stopping gender-based violence is a priority for everyone committed to society’s development.He pledged support to the ongoing efforts to achieve gender equality, saying development is quantifiable far beyond the financial bottom line.