INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2014 - Inspiring change
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INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2014
Inspiring change
Introduction:
Rwandans have much to be proud of in recent years and the United Nations is pleased to work alongside the Government of Rwanda and local
communities to continue improving people’s lives through its various agencies and programs. Under the umbrella of One UN Rwanda, these agencies
target areas of economic empowerment, accountable governance, human development and humanitarian response. Though substantial progress has
been made, gender issues remain a concern for both men and women across Rwanda. These must be addressed collectively at all levels of society.
International Women’s Day gives Rwandans an opportunity to celebrate women’s advancement across the country. At 64% Rwanda already leads the
world in female representation in parliament and has come a long way in improving health, access to education and economic opportunities for its
people. Let’s take these successes and build on them to make Rwanda a shining example in all sectors of society.
By Thomas Kagera
One UN Celebrates International
Women’s Day
In addition to the many ongoing projects
focused on women’s empowerment and
gender equality which One UN and its
constituent agencies support throughout
the year, there have been three special
events in the past two weeks which were
organized with the help of One UN and
within the spirit of International Women’s
Day.
The First Lady Award
On Saturday, March 1, 124 girls from
Kigali had the honor of receiving the Best
Performing Girls award from H.E. The
First Lady of Rwanda Jeanette Kagame.
On the occasion of the presentation
of these First Lady Awards, UNICEF
Representative in Rwanda Noala Skinner
stated that:
“Rwanda has been recognized for
its great achievements in access to
education. It has recently been listed as
one of the top three performing countries
for reducing the out of school population
by 85%. The work is well underway The First Lady Jeannette Kagame and UNICEF Representative Noala Skinner with winners of the First Lady Awards
and the UN family, with support from
our donor partners, are proud to be Box which aimed to prevent motorcycle accidents.
accompanying the girls, boys, men and
women of Rwanda”. The jury panel, consisting of five leading women in
ICT and corporate professions in Rwanda, questioned
The event was organized by the Imbuto each presenter before they selected the winner. Nancy
Foundation in partnership with One UN. Sibo, a student in the Agriculture Engineering faculty
This year, a total of 434 primary and at the National University of Rwanda and the inventor
secondary school girls will be awarded of the Mobile Cow, an app that would be tied in the
nationwide. government Gira Inka program to allow farmers to
monitor the oestrus cycles of their cows, can proudly
call herself Ms. Geek Rwanda 2014.
Ms Geek
On Saturday 8th of March, International
Women’s Day, Girls In ICT Rwanda, Inspiring Leaders’ Event
supported by UNDP, the Government On Thursday, March 13, One UN Rwanda under the
of Rwanda and various corporate and coordination of UN Women hosted the Inspiring
academic sponsors, held the first ever Ms. Leaders Event at the College of Business and
Geek Rwanda competition at the Lemigo Economics in Kigali (former SFB). Inspiring women
Hotel. The competition encouraged leaders in economics, education, civil society and
female Rwandan university students to health were invited to lead focus group discussions for
showcase their knowledge and skills students.
in ICT. Five top students pitched their
innovative and ambitious applications. Group leaders discussed the challenges and
opportunities for women in each sector (economy,
Although they showcased a very education, civil society and health) and proposed
diverse range of inventions, all projects solutions going forward. Enthusiastic future leaders The UN Women Representative, Ms Diana Ofwona, (right), the FFRP Charperson Hon Ignatienne
were designed with clear solutions for were happy to network and interact with, and be Nyirarukundo, (center), and the day's facilitator Munyamaliza Edward during the opening of the
Rwandan problems. There was a Nearby inspired by current leaders from successful careers. deliberations
Item Locator System, designed to
improve the lives of Rwandan shoppers;
an Online Driving License Examination Rwanda has many achievements to celebrate. At One UN Rwanda we want to take the successes and learn from the challenges as we work
System which will make it easier to towards creating a better life for all Rwandans.
conduct the driving license exam; a Class We are always looking for interest and involvement from the community. If you have any ideas, feedback or would like to learn more about our
Attendance Management System that programs, please contact us on “One UN Rwanda” through Facebook or Twitter.
used finger print recognition to monitor **All statistics within this document, if not otherwise specified, come from the ‘United Nations Development Assistance Plan 2013-2018’
students progress; and a Wireless Black available at: http://www.undp.org/content/rwanda/en/home/library/annual-reports/rwanda-undaf-report/
Focus Area:
Economic Empowerment
O
ne UN works with the Government
of Rwanda and local communities to
increase economic opportunities for
the population. With a high Gross Domestic
Product and low levels of inflation Rwanda’s
economy is amongst the best performing in
East Africa. Since 2008 one million women,
men and children have been raised out of
poverty and the economy – especially the
agricultural sector – continues to grow. The
government has expanded cash transfers
and established credit programs for
extremely poor rural households.
Yet work remains. Income inequality
continues and poverty is more than twice Quick facts
as prevalent in rural areas than urban
areas. Unemployment persists, especially
among women and youth, due to limited • In 2012 Rwanda
skill sets, a restricted job market and lack of reached the second
higher education and training opportunities.
highest per capita
Rwanda’s high population density also puts
pressure on resources and increases the income in the East
importance of sustainable environmental African region, at
development policies. US$644.
One UN Rwanda – in partnership with the • GDP growth
Government of Rwanda – has adopted a averaged 8.2%
number of programmes to tackle areas of
annually in the
concern. Together they run Farmer Field
Schools to train farmers in entrepreneurship period from 2008-
and crop production and increase farmers’ 2012 and inflation
access to low interest loans. was the lowest in the
One UN encourages local producers to join East Africa region at
cooperatives to increase their negotiating 9.16%.
power and access to resources and works
• A 2012 study found
with education and labour sectors to
improve quality of learning institutions and 21% of Rwandan
ensure better education and employment households are food
opportunities for women and children. One insecure, with the
UN Rwanda is also adopting measures most located in the
to strengthen the government’s capacity
to develop technologies and skills for
Western province
sustainable energy for all mechanisms. Our Success: One UN Rwanda helps rural
woman farmers increase their yields
Christine sits proudly next to her are working together to help the house and domestic
husband as she explains how her farmers like Christine grow Irish chores. However, over time
farming practice has changed. potatoes and wheat. They select the knowledge these women
“With the knowledge I gained, I participants according to their brought home transformed
increased my yield three-fold”. level of vulnerability and students skepticism into support, with
range from young to old. some husbands personally
She recently graduated from contributing to the group savings
Farmer Field School (FFS) Alongside agricultural skills and fund. Christine and her husband
in Nyarugama, a six-month knowledge, FFS participants are have now combined plots
education program that teaches given entrepreneurial, business and concentrate on one crop,
modern agricultural techniques and financial skills to help their resulting in a significant yield
to rural farmers. Participants businesses grow after the school increase.
attend weekly half-day term finishes. Each FFS cohort
workshops to learn about crop pools their savings to create a Loan schemes carry on long
and pest management specific to members’ credit scheme. This past graduation day so members
their local ecosystems. scheme allows members to can continue to save and lend
borrow from the group fund with amongst themselves. Inspired
In carrying out these programs, a low 2 per cent interest rate. by their training and the
UN Women partners with local opportunities that have opened
non-government organizations The FFS has helped shift up, one cooperative is now
to provide financial and technical attitudes within communities. In planning to buy a pig for each
support to farmers. the beginning female participants member of the fund to promote
met resistance from male family small livestock keeping.
In Nyarugama the Imbaraga members who were concerned
Federation and One UN Rwanda about time spent away from
Focus Area:
Accountable Governance
Quick facts
• Crime rates reduced by
approximately 12% between
2011 and 2012.
• In 2011 Rwanda submitted
itself to the United Nations
Universal Periodic Review
opening itself up to the review
of its human rights situation
as a member of the United
Nations.
• The 2012 Rwanda Governance
Scorecard showed public
confidence in the Defence
O
ne UN and the Government of
Rwanda have been working Force and the Rwanda
hard to enhance governance National Police ay 96.25%.
and access to justice across the country.
Over the last few years, crime rates have • 3,444 sexual and gender
decreased and access to legal aid has
increased. Public confidence and trust in based violent crimes were
the defense and police forces continues reported in 2012.
to improve alongside Government-
initiated community peace-building
and reconciliation programmes. The
Government has signed a number of
international human rights conventions “Things have changed in the last five years
and works with the One UN to ensure that … In general I would say we are marching
all social, political and domestic policies towards press freedom.”
are sensitive to gender concerns.
RGB and Association of Rwanda Journalist
There is a great need for these efforts (ARJ) initiated and One UN sponsored
to continue in Rwanda. Although access the awards as part of the Deepening
to justice has increased, legal aid is not Democracy and Accountable Governance
accessible in all regions of the country and Program. The One UN Resident Coordinator
most lawyers are located in Kigali, leaving Lamin Momouda Manneh cited Rwanda’s
rural areas with a shortage of legal services. increasing media freedom as important for
Many citizens have not registered their a truly democratic country.
births which makes it difficult for people
to enforce their rights. Public institutions “The awards provide an opportunity
also must work more closely together to showcase the great work done by
and undertake skills training to address journalists in promoting social, economic
knowledge gaps at the professional level. Louise Marie Uwizeyimana and political progress in Rwanda” he noted.
The One UN is implementing a new Access
to Justice Programme to address areas
Our Success: One UN Rwanda supports Marie Louise is the first ever female in
Rwanda to win ‘Journalist of the Year Award’
of concern. The Programme supports
Government efforts to improve the rule of
the march towards press freedom as an independent journalist in print media
and the first female to own an independent
law, solidify human rights responses, and newspaper.
increase community safety and peace- As part of strengthening citizen participation Uwizeyimana’s face lit up as she was
building. One UN is working with national the One UN supports gender mainstreaming pronounced ‘Journalist of the Year’ in the 2013 Marie Louise says…“I would like to use the
institutions to increase access to legal aid in decision making at all levels. One program Development Journalism Awards. She took money to continue studying, expand my
for vulnerable groups – including children has created a gender mainstreaming strategy home the much-coveted prize in recognition of newspaper into rural areas, and focus more
– and is targeting court case backlogs for the media. Results are showing already – her more than ten-year journey into this male- on women’s issues by advocating for rural
with a new integrated case management during the recent ‘Development Journalism’ dominated field. women in particular.”
tracking system. One UN is also providing Awards Ceremony a female journalist took
research and technical support to increase home the top prize. Always outspoken and passionate about The Deepening Democracy and
dialogue and mediation for further peace- justice, Marie Louise started out in law. Yet when Accountable Governance Program
building efforts and continues to help “Ouh! … I couldn’t have imagined I would be the she began working as a journalist in 2005 to support efforts towards increasing citizen
Rwanda bring the remaining genocide one walking away with the award! support her law study, she saw the possibility participation and inclusion in decision-
suspects before the specialized chamber of being a voice for the people. From here her making, media freedom and accountability
for gender crimes. Owner of Intego newspaper Louise Marie career in the media began. in governance.
Focus Area:
Human Development
A
key focus area for One UN Rwanda
is Human Development. The One
UN supports the Government of
Rwanda to improve health, nutritional
status, and learning outcomes for all
Rwandans, especially the most vulnerable
within the context of efforts to accelerate
Human Development. This area also
includes social protection, empowerment
of women and girls and the application
Quick facts
of a holistic and life cycle approach to
sustainably improve the well-being and
development of the young child and its
family.
Rwanda has achieved great success and is • At 77% women’s literacy rates
well on course to meeting the MDGs. The are lower than men’s at 82%.
results are there to speak for themselves.
It has the sharpest decline in under 5 (DHS 2010)
mortality across East Africa. 91% of the • The current annual job
population has access to basic healthcare;
Maternal mortality has been considerably creation rate is 105,000
reduced from 1,300 deaths per 100,000
live births in 2000 to 487 in 2012; access • Births registered: 63%
to safe drinking water is increasing and the
primary school net enrollment rate is now
• % children fully immunized:
at 97%. (Source: DHS 2005, 2010 and EMIS 95
2012). HIV/AIDS treatment is now widely
accessible with 89% coverage of antenatal • Access to improved drinking
care facilities that provide prevention of water source: 74%
HIV programmes to pregnant women.
• Access to improved sanitation
Despite these successes, some facilities: 55%
challenges remain. Many children suffer
from malnourishment and do not have • In 2010 at least 56% of
access to early learning opportunities. women aged 15-49 years had
44% of children under five suffer from
chronic malnutrition which has not only experienced physical or sexual
led to physical stunting but also poses violence. (DHS 2010)
a serious threat to their mental and
physical development. A quarter of
Rwanda’s population do not have access
to an improved drinking water source
or adequate sanitation, with only 10% of
the population practicing hand-washing
(DHS 2010). Many women continue to
experience physical or sexual violence.
Under the able leadership of the
Government of Rwanda, the One UN
Rwanda is providing support to address
these challenges through a range of
interventions. These include health and
Our Success: One UN Rwanda supports
population programmes, community
based approaches such as the community survivors of gender-based violence (GBV)
based nutrition and community health
worker programs, capacity and skills through One Stop Centres
development and the implementation
of the “1,000 days campaign” to combat “There is no way to say how much support I One Stop Centres provide comprehensive
malnutrition with an aim of improving received from the Isange One Stop Centre. response, care and support services for girls
maternal and child health in the country. An Now I have a place to go whenever I feel and boys, women and men who have survived
early Childhood Development and Family unsafe. The Centre gave me hope and strength gender based violence (GBV) or child abuse.
(ECD&F) program is being supported in to be myself again” said Mary, her eyes filling The Centre treats survivors of all types of
partnership with Imbuto Foundation. The with tears. violence, making it a safe place for everyone.
One UN is also supporting the Government It also helps combat the stigma which often
to build a comprehensive social protection When Mary arrived at the Isange One Stop follows.
system for all, and to provide specific Centre in Kigali with a broken arm, she was
social protection interventions for its most traumatized and afraid to speak out. Her “Let’s embrace our children with love and let
vulnerable citizens including support for husband had used violence against her and them know our love won’t change no matter
the community based health insurance even her children. She didn’t know where to what happens” says Esperance, clinical
system. go or what to do. Her husband told her that psychologist at the Gihundwe One Stop Centre. committed to supporting the Government
he could find her and kill her if she tried to run “It is really important to show them constant of Rwanda to set up mechanisms to prevent
The One UN Rwanda is supporting the away. care and attention and make it clear they are and address violence and is committed to
provision of holistic services to survivors not responsible or guilty for what happened to continue the support”.
of Gender based Violence (GBV) and child In July 2009, the One UN in Rwanda supported them. I am proud to see the smile on their faces
abuse through the One Stop Centre model. the Government of Rwanda to design and after receiving our support” she adds. A number of One Stop Centres are located in
The success of the approach has led to a implement the first One Stop Centre in Isange. hospitals around Rwanda with plans to place
full-fledged national scale-up of the model This One Stop Centre then served as a model Ramatou Toure, UNICEF Chief of Child Protection them in all districts to ensure nationwide
in health facilities across the country. coverage.
to set up other centres in district hospitals. explains “the One UN in Rwanda is very
Focus Area:
Humanitarian Assistance
and Disaster Preparedness
Quick facts
Refugees:
• Since April 2012, over 35,000
individuals crossed the border
into Rwanda due to renewed
fighting in the eastern
Democratic Republic of the
Congo (DRC).
• 99% of refugees in Rwanda are
R
wanda sometimes experiences
natural disasters and the from the DRC.
spillover effects of conflict
from neighbouring countries. One • In the last one and a half years,
UN and the Government of Rwanda
work in partnership at the national the Government of Rwanda has
and district levels to predict and opened two more refugee camps
respond to these events to enhance
the safety of vulnerable populations, (Kigeme and Mugombwa) to
especially refugees. Together they respond to the new influx and
have established an early warning
system and carried out a disaster risk congestion.
assessment and analysis focusing
on the vulnerability of particular • The Government of Rwanda and
areas and populations. Information
gathered is used to reduce negative the One UN are in the process of
impacts and improve the recovery of finalizing a contingency plan on
people affected, particularly children,
women and those with special the basis of two potential mass
needs. To make sure these programs
Our Success: One UN Rwanda is restoring hope population influxes [refugees
are efficient and well targeted, a
and expellees].
committee has been established
which oversees and coordinate to refugee survivors of gender-based violence.
strategies and skills and facilitates
World Vision’s Rwanda Refugee Response Project (RRRP) Returnees:
knowledge sharing.
• Over 3.4 million Rwandan
“I felt like I no longer had the right to be a child.” An opportunity opened up for Gloria though
With the fast growing number thanks to a programme* by the UNHCR’s partner refugees have returned to the
of refugees in Rwanda and the Gloria Nsengiyumva (name changed) has lived in
numerous challenges in the provision Kiziba refugee camp with her parents, brother and
organization World Vision. The programme country since 1994.
operates in a number of refugee camps and
of emergency services, adequate two sisters for the last fifteen years. Although the provides vocational training such as hairdressing,
response to humanitarian assistance camp provides food, clean water, medical services, cooking, knitting, carpentry, mechanics and • In November 2011, One UN and
remains an immediate concern. More shelter and some education opportunities, there
than 74,000 refugees currently rely is limited potential for work. This compels many
tailoring. Gloria is training as a hairdresser. the Government of Rwanda
on the support of the Government of people – the youth in particular – to seek work “I now have hope for a better future. I have started jointly launched the ‘Return and
Rwanda, donor partners and the UN. outside the camp, where young women are earning some money from my hairdressing work
Together these agencies address especially vulnerable to the risk of GBV. even before finishing the training. I have found a Reintegration Programme’ to
the many protection challenges
Gloria became pregnant when she was only 16
business niche since hairdressing is a service that assist returnees.
facing refugees, who include is always in demand.”
unaccompanied minors, people years old. She says that when she tried to contact
with special needs, and survivors the much older man who was responsible, he Gloria says that now her income allows her to buy • The One UN supported the
of gender-based violence. The denied everything. Gloria was a minor at the time,
making his act illegal in Rwandan law. He soon
supplies for her son and also support her parent,
which has restored her dignity in their eyes.
government in responding
majority of the refugee population
(over 80%) are women and children. moved villages, which Gloria suggests could be to
“I’m no longer that hopeless young mother who
to the needs of the expelled
escape prosecution.
The UN in Rwanda goes beyond always cried for a lost dream. I now have hope for Rwandans from Tanzania
providing basic essential services Life became extremely difficult for Gloria after she a better future.”
with initiatives that ensure access to fell pregnant. Her parents shunned her, people
education, adequate health services, in the community began name-calling and she *Since its launch the Rwanda Refugee Response
and improvement of livelihood eventually had to drop out of school and give up Project has trained over 300 survivors of GBV.
opportunities. her dream of becoming a teacher.
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