Property and injustice hinder Rwandans’ human rights more- NHRC

The revelations were made as the National Human Rights Commission presented its activities report 2017/18 to Members of the Parliament, both chambers, on Monday, October 29.

The President of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Madeleine Nirere, said that ‘complaints that dominate are based on property and justice.

The Commission received 642 property-related complaints making 34.4%, with justice-related complaints being 457, equaling 24.5% while child violence-related complaints are 224 which is 12%, according to Madeleine Nirere.

Of the 642 personal property related complaints, Mrs. Nirere said 318 were resolved, 238 are being followed up with other nine complainers having been advised on how to resolve them.

In justice-related complaints, the President of the National Human Rights Commission highlighted a complaint by a resident of Nyanza District who won a case worth Rwf6 million in 2007 but he has not yet offered justice as his accused has no possessions worth the money in the case.

On child rights, the NHRC activities report 2017/18 indicates that 266 children were violated. Of them, 91 children were infected with sicknesses while 10 others were infected with Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs).

Of all the violated children, 132 violence cases were immediately reported, while the 63 cases were discovered during victims’ pregnancies and 63 cases were known late.
Justice-related complaints submitted to NHRC also include labor rights violation. NHRC received 70 complaints of which 37 were resolved found while still pursuing 33 other complaints.

The labor rights complaints include those of public employees, mostly drivers among others, who work till late in unpaid hours.

Nirere said that good steps are made every year in the respect of human rights and urged different institutions to implement the wish advice given to them by the Commission.
The Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) Citizen report 2017 indicates that the citizens’ satisfaction in rights and freedom rates at 83.83% with the rule of the law rated at 83.68%.