USAID/Rwanda Mission Director Peter Malnak and USAID staff visited local women’s organizations in Kigali to commemorate the one year anniversary of the U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security.
The visit was conducted january 25.
He also met with the leaders of Pro-Femmes, the coordinating body for local women’s associations, and several local women-led organizations to discuss their work in Rwanda related to peace-building, reconciliation, and conflict mitigation.
Pro-Femmes is a sub-grantee of USAID/Rwanda’s Reconciliation and Reintegration Project implemented by International Alert.
The event took place at the Remera office of the Association des Veuves du Genocide Agahozo (AVEGA), a Pro-Femme member organization that offers support services to genocide widows.
USAID representatives heard from AVEGA and Pro-Femmes members about the importance of reconciliation and socio-economic support programs offered by local organizations in Kigali and around the country.
In Rwanda, organizations like AVEGA provide critical support to women who have endured hardship and violence due to war and provide avenues for women to be leaders in preventing future conflicts.
The group discussed issues such as prevention of sexual violence, the importance of economic resilience to creating a stable peace, and the contribution of the USAID-funded Reconciliation and Reintegration Project to these efforts, which supports peace-building efforts through community dialogue clubs and economic support for individuals on all sides of the conflict.
Mr. Malnak shared the commitment of the United States in support of women’s involvement in peace-building and security on a global scale as well as in Rwanda.
The U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security seeks to empower women worldwide to play a central role in peace-building in countries affected by war and insecurity.
“It is the goal of the United States government to ensure that women are equal partners in peace-building and conflict mitigation efforts – from participation in peace negotiations to the prevention of gender-based violence.
USAID/Rwanda is likewise committed to these efforts and we are impressed by the work already being done in this regard by the women of Rwanda,” Mr. Malnak said.
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