Local Government Ministry has developed a new system dubbed the "Imibereho Social Registry System" that will help identify needy people to receive support instead of using ubudehe categories.

Ubudehe classification, which is based on household financial status, was first introduced by the government in 2000 as part of the strategies to address poverty reduction.

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Previously, financial assistance to the poor, university tuition fees, subsidized Community-based health insurance "Mutuelle de Santé," among other benefits, were based on Ubudehe classifications.

However, the Ministry of Local Government explained in a statement that "Ubudehe classification was facing malpractices in the community, where many citizens, regardless of their socio-economic status, wanted to be in the lowest category that receives support from the government and stakeholders."

The malpractices triggered the development of the new system to identify beneficiaries of social protection programs.

"The system is now operational, but we are currently collecting data from households and integrating more service providers. Ubudehe categories will only be used in planning and research on citizen welfare," said Joseph Curio Havugimana, the Local Government Ministry spokesperson, to The New Times.

The new system will have data on households&039; status and criteria to identify the needy in different sectors.

"The system has to connect all institutions that provide services. It collects basic information of all households so that it helps discover and identify needy people whenever any institution seeks to provide support," he said.

The Local Government Ministry has urged all public, private institutions, and development partners seeking to support vulnerable people in different services of welfare, good governance, economic development, and justice "to establish their own selection criteria under the advice from local government without basing on Ubudehe classification."

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"We have realized that there are institutions that are continuing to provide services and support using Ubudehe categories, which is contrary to new guidelines. The Ubudehe categories will only be used in planning and research on citizens&039; welfare. All citizens should stop requesting services under the excuse of Ubudehe categories," he stressed.

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He said that after setting up the targeting criteria, the institutions will discuss with MINALOC to assess the feasibility of these criteria.

Civil society speaks out

Evariste Murwanashyaka, the activist working for Umbrella Human Rights Organization-CLADHO, argued that the government should first set up guidance that different institutions can use to establish criteria for selecting vulnerable people to be supported.

"If there is no guidance from the government, there will be no transparency in identifying the needy. Without it, they can support those who do not deserve it, and many people could still be stuck in poverty. The local leaders should also be engaged in ensuring that support goes to the poor and monitor if they are graduating out of poverty," he said.

The Fifth Integrated Household Living Survey (EICV5) shows that poverty decreased from 39.1 per cent in 2013/14 to 38.2 per cent in 2016/17, while extreme poverty decreased from 16.3 per cent to 16.1 per cent.

According to the National Strategy for Transformation (NST 1) developed in 2017/18, by 2024, extreme poverty has to be less than one per cent.

The list of households in poverty and extreme poverty will sign performance contracts on the journey to graduate out of poverty within two years only, MINALOC said.

A list of partners engaged in helping districts to implement a plan to eradicate poverty, and vulnerable households to be supported was recommended.