Gender-based violence (GBV) continues to plague Rwandan families, with women and children suffering from physical, sexual, and emotional abuse within their homes. To address this pressing issue, concerted efforts are needed to challenge harmful gender norms, promote gender equality and build GBV-free families..
The alarming rise in domestic violence, with reported spousal violence increasing from 40% in 2015 to 46% in 2020, underscores the urgent need for intervention. Recognizing this, a high-level dialogue was organized kicking off the 16 Days Of Activism campaign 2024 in partnership with the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion, UN Women, Haguruka, and RWAMREC, convened to address the issue of building GBV-free families.
The dialogue brought together key stakeholders, including government representatives, gender equality experts, GBV survivors, and community leaders, and explored the multifaceted causes of family instability. Key objectives included promoting family-centred approaches, strengthening community-based interventions and structures to prevent all forms of violence that hinder human potential development, raising awareness of the impact of positive parenting on children’s development to ensure sustainable families free from GBV, highlighting emerging GBV issues, including tech-facilitated GBV, and discussing existing preventive measures and response mechanisms.
In her keynote remarks, Consolee Uwimana, the Minister of Gender and Family Promotion highlighted the importance of dialogue in analyzing root issues within families: “We need to assess issues in families deeply, and this dialogue is crucial.”
Presenting the enablers and predators of family stability and resilience, researcher Reverien Interayamahanga emphasized the root causes of family conflict, such as ineffective communication, poverty, aggressive behaviours, infidelity, and harmful peer influence. He noted the devastating consequences these conflicts have for children, leading to increased school dropout rates, drug abuse, anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges.
Panelists stressed the need for a comprehensive, multifaceted approach. Umurerwa Ninette, Executive Secretary of Haguruka, urged coordinated efforts at all levels and prioritized GBV court cases: “We need to ensure that cases of victims delayed in courts are given priority. We advocate for a specialized court for GBV cases.” Murangira B. Thierry, Rwanda Investigation Bureau spokesperson, underscored the role of social media in perpetuating violence, urging responsible online behaviour and challenging harmful language: “We must be cautious with our words; phrases like ‘men are trash’ only serve to deepen divisions. We should use social media to promote understanding and equality.” Sr. Immaculée Uwamariya highlighted the importance of societal support for young couples preparing for marriage, emphasizing the necessity of genuine parenting and open dialogue: “Everyone has a role in parenting, extending to those in marriage. We need to create spaces for open dialogue.”
Haguruka plays a crucial role in promoting gender equality and building GBV-free families through various innovative approaches and projects, including the “Ingo z’Amahoro project, “which proactively prevents and responds to GBV while promoting sexual and reproductive health awareness.
The high-level dialogue underscored the critical need for a multifaceted approach addressing both the root causes of violence and the immediate needs of survivors. By promoting gender equality, providing support services, and fostering community engagement, Rwandan families can create safe and nurturing environments where all members can thrive.
