Thousands in Rwanda march against gender-based violence
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E-mail Xinhua, November 26, 2018
KIGALI, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of people on Sunday marched in Rwandan capital Kigali against gender-based violence to mark the launch of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign in Rwanda.
The international campaign runs from the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on Nov. 25 to Human Rights Day on Dec. 10 to galvanize action to end violence against women and girls around the world.
The marchers dressed in orange T-shirts included officials from the government and security organs, members of non-governmental organizations, development partners and civil society, as well as local residents.
They started the march from the parliament to Amahoro National Stadium, where participants held discussions under the theme: "Building the family we want. Say No to child defilement."
Minister of Gender and Family Promotion of Rwanda, Solina Nyirahabimana reaffirmed Rwanda government's readiness to fight against gender based violence in all its forms, and called for collective efforts to root out the vice.
The minister urged the public to report gender-based violence to security agencies using toll free lines and to remember to rush victims of gender based violence to the nearest health centers -- Isange One Stop Centers -- located at district hospitals across the country.
Fode Ndiaye, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Rwanda, called on all Rwandan people to take responsibility for ending violence against women and girls since it is a human rights violation.
Rwanda has put in place legal frameworks to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, said Jeannot Ruhunga, Secretary General of Rwanda Investigation Bureau.
About 2,700 people were convicted of child defilement between 2016 and 2018 in different courts in the central African country, according to figures released in October by Rwanda's Chief Justice Sam Rugege.
Defilement in Rwanda attracts between 20 and 25 years upon conviction, but life sentence for a child below 14 years.
Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion and its partners will set up mobile clinics of gender-based violence during the campaign, to sensitize communities to care for teenage mothers and help them settle in. Enditem
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