UN Women recently concluded their One UN joint programme Recovering better and inclusively from Covid-19 through a Sensitive Social Protection System in Rwanda.” The programme aimed to help socially and economically vulnerable people recover from Covid-19 by providing well-targeted gender responsive social safety nets and addressing sexual and gender-based violence, or SGBV, in collaboration with UNHCR. Among the achievements, former domestic workers were provided with entrepreneurship and tailoring skills, as well as financial and cooperative management training. Each trainee was also given a toolkit containing a tailoring machine and accessories, as well as financial assistance for self-employment and psychosocial support. 500 selected poor teen mothers from Nyagatare and Gatsibo districts were given tool kits including a tailoring machine and small livestock. Those who returned to school (500) received school materials to improve their condition of learning among other things. UN Women also supported Rwanda Women Network to continue availing its hotline for SGBV cases, 16 womens safe spaces equipped each with an emergency support fund for SGBV victims. Legal Aid Forum also supported SGBV cases, 50 victims of violence were represented in court, facilitated with DNA test-search for paternity in 10 cases. “Covid-19 left me with no income but thanks to the support received, I now started a small business of producing liquid soap, sell it and that way I cover for my family needs,” said Alphonsine Mumporeze, a beneficiary of the programme from Musanze. “When I and my ex-husband lost our source of income due to the covid-19 situation, we were forced to stay with each other at home every day,” shared Marie Rose Uwimana, a SGBV victim and beneficiary of the programme from Rubavu. She continued, “So his beating increased and he even brought his concubine home.” “I reached a point where I only wished for death because nothing else would have saved me from that man. But eventually, I think he got tired and left the house with his concubine, leaving me and the kids with nothing.” “Thanks to the support received, I filed a report and he is awaited by the law to cater for the kids whose guard was granted to me,” she said. “After receiving help from UN Women, we came together as a group of 20 women to look for a sustainable way to really get out of poverty,” shared Christine Mukarebura, a beneficiary of the programme from Musanze. She said, “We started saving by putting Rwf1100 aside per week, and now this money we save allows us to pay insurance, school fees and other things in our homes.” This programme that lasted eight months (August 2021-March 2022), targeted female headed households, SGBV victims, teen mothers, domestic workers, and refugees among others who have been disproportionately affected by Covid-19 pandemic. Service providers were given training on how to handle SGBV cases throughout the program, spread GBV prevention messages through several radio awareness sessions, songs featuring well-known Rwandan artists including Mariya Yohani, the Rwanda Women Network hashtag to raise awareness about SGBV prevention and others. It sought to solve the gender differentiated impact of COVID-19 and to tackle disproportionate impacts for women in terms of unpaid work, care burden and lost income particularly for those relying on informal businesses and daily wages. The implementation was spearheaded by different partners; the Local Administrative Entities Development Agency (LODA), Faith Victory Association (FVA), AJPRODHO-JIJUKIRWA, Legal AID Forum(LAF), and Rwanda Women Network(RWN). “This should be an example for state and non-state actors in the fight to ensure that women and girls thrive in gender friendly environments,” commented Janviere Mukantwali, UN Women program manager. “As for the impacts of COVID-19, if this can be done in only 8 months, it shows that with even more collective efforts we could achieve even more.” she concluded.
