{African countries have been called upon to proactively engage in preemptive measures to curb violence against women and girls on the continent.}
Oda Gasinzigwa, the Minister for Gender and Family Promotion made the call on November 24 while officiating at the fourth Kigali International Conference Declaration (KICD) Annual General Assembly, in Kigali.
The conference held under the theme “Turn back crime against women and girls; the synergy of African security organs” derived from the international Police, Interpol’s global campaign aimed at raising awareness of the dangers and impact of organized crimes, brought together participants from 40 African countries, 34 of them signatories to KICD.
“Violence is not only a fundamental transgression of human rights but also dehumanises the victims. It is undeniable that women and girls still experience violence in different forms. They are subjected to sexual, economic, psychological as well as physical violence,” Minister Gasinzigwa said.
“It is therefore evident that different actors need to recite efforts towards ending violence. We must stand up to end the impunity that too often leaves perpetrators unaccountable for their crimes. We must redress the low status of women and girls around the world that renders them undervalued and vulnerable,” she noted.
She commended the role played by security organs and other partners on the continent for the crucial step taken in responding to challenges women and girls face adding that it “adds up to a valued effort to the existing mechanisms perpetuated against women and girls.”
“Security organs have a critical role in the countries’ development process through law enforcement, security and peace support and peacekeeping missions among other duties. They are equally competent to consolidate efforts against violence women and girls face,” she said.
She pledged Rwanda’s commitment to create an enabling environment through establishment of strong policy, legal and institutional frameworks as well as strong partnerships to end the vice.
She also cited Isange One Stop centre situated at Police hospital in Kacyiru as clear model to rehabilitate and give hope to victims, adding the establishment of gender desks and anti-gender violence committees at grass-roots by the RNP and RDF have played a vital in preventing the scourge.
“The existence of specific institutions to coordinate, implement and monitor all initiatives on ending violence against women as well a national rehabilitation center for alcohol and drug addicts further manifests government efforts towards preventing and responding to the scourge.”
Among the achievements of KICD in the last four years of joint efforts are; the launch of the Africa centre for coordination of action in Kigali, last year, regional capacity building workshop on prevention and response to end violence against women and girls in Kigali; developing training manuals and annual review meeting.
The Inspector General of Rwanda National Police, Emmanuel K. Gasana highlighted the scale up of Isange One stop centre and gender desks in all army and Police stations, developing a regional research and training centre and increasing female officers in peacekeeping operations, as some of the steps taken by Rwanda to combat the vice.
“It’s time to end violence against women and girls; it’s time to turn back crime…it’s time to turn a vision into impact; it’s time to move from commitment to concrete action and to enforce the law,” The Inspector General of Rwanda National Police, Emmanuel K. Gasana highlighted some of the achievements of KICD since its establishment in 2010 said.
“As leaders, let’s make the world a safer place to live in,” he added.
Nazaire Hounnonpe, the Deputy Inspector General of Police for Benin, the outgoing chair of KICD, appealed to states to draft strong legal frameworks and all to sign the declaration, to effectively curb the scourge jointly on the continent.
Lamin M. Manneh, the One-UN Rwanda Resident Coordinator noted that Rwanda serves as a specific example in ending violence against women and girls, and appealed to other states and security organs in particular to develop short and long term initiatives to end impunity.
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