Concerted efforts ‘will win GBV war’

Only collective and coordinated efforts can eradicate Gender Based Violence (GBV), a national gender watchdog has said. Odda Gasinzigwa, the Chief Gender Monitor, made the remarks, Thursday, during a tour of Isange One Stop Centre’, a police unit that offers care to victims of gender related violence. The facility, which is located at the Police Hospital in Kacyiru, was established to help expedite assistance offered to GBV victims, including medical attention and adducing evidence to prosecute suspected offenders. “GBV can be a thing of the past if all the stakeholders, including the general public, developed mutual cooperation to share information and jointly take concrete measures to eliminate the vice,” Gasinzigwa said. She added that working as a team would avoid duplication of intervention activities, pointing out that no other stakeholder would need to establish the same centre as the one run by the Rwanda National Police. Isange One Stop Center opened its doors in July 2009, and boasts a laboratory for the testing alleged GBV victims, a counseling office and a resting room for those who cannot be discharged immediately. At the centre, sexually assaulted females are tested for proof before 72 hours elapse, and then given medication that helps prevent unwanted pregnancies, or being infected with sexually transmitted diseases. The facility also provides free medical attention to GBV victims. According to Supt. Maurice Murigo, the head of the GBV unit at the Rwanda National Police, the centre helps reduce the risk of losing evidence that is critical in proving sexual abuse. This week also saw the launch of a new GBV section at the Police Headquarters in Kacyiru, which will specifically handle gender related crimes. The police expect to extend the services of both the new GBV section and the Isango One stop Center to all districts, officials said. Ends