Eastern Province has reported that 117 men suspected of impregnating teen girls were arrested in the span of three weeks and handed over to investigation authorities so that they are processed before courts of law. The provincial governor, Emmanuel Gasana, said that this was part of concerted efforts of crime-free village campaign, which focused mainly on family promotion and addressing pressing issues affecting the community, such as child defilement, teen mothers, school dropout, street children and child labour. The campaign, according to Gasana, is being done with a close partnership with Inshuti zUmuryango (friends of family), the community-based child and family protection volunteers, with two placed in every village across the country. There are 3,780 villages in Eastern Province. This Tuesday, the country representatives of UNICEF and World Vision were received by Governor Gasana to discuss activities by Inshuti z’Umuryango and other initiatives to promote child protection. Julianna Lindsey, UNICEFs Country Representative to Rwanda, said: “We appreciate very much the contribution of the Governor of Eastern Province and Inshuti z’Umuryango, to work with families to make sure children are protected.” Lindsey said she was “very” impressed that in Eastern Province, where she said there is a clear commitment to prosecute men who defile children, and appreciated that the districts and the province are taking a strong line on that. “The next thing that we will need to do is to provide young people with information about reproductive health; they need to know about their bodies, and they need to know how babies are made, and how they can also not have babies when they are young, they need to have access to contraceptives too,” she explained. World Vision Rwanda Country Representative, Sean Kerrigan said that Inshuti z’Umuryango, “are the volunteers that have poured not only their time and their energy, but also their hearts into understanding what the children’s needs are, and going above and beyond, to meet those needs.” The two organisations, which already support the volunteers, are committed to strengthening that protection, Kerrigan added. Gilbert Munyemana, Deputy Director-General of National Child Development Agency (NCDA), said Inshuti z’Umuryango is a strong community trained on child protection, helping the government and its partners in identifying and reporting child abuse cases. “They help us in prevention of child abuse in families, and any other abuse affecting family in general; they are contributing to a healthier family and child development,” he added. Gasana said: “We have to continue the journey with commitment, Her Excellency First Lady is the one who started this battle to protect children, it means protecting children from all kinds of dangers impeding them from achieving their dreams; these include rape, defilement, child labour, among other things making their learning and growth difficult” Protecting children is a responsibility of all levels, he continued, and it requires partnership and stronger action to raise awareness among parents and families. During the month-long campaign, more than 800 dropouts were returned to school, while 482 children were taken off streets and returned to their families.
