Police begin GBV week

The Rwanda National Police (RNP) will today launch the Gender Based Violence (GBV) week as part of celebrations to mark the forces’ 10th anniversary. The event to be held in Kisaro, Rulindo District in the Northern Province, will be graced by the Minister of Gender and Family Promotion, Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya. Police spokesperson, Eric Kayiranga said that the week will include awareness campaigns, issuing car stickers and messages on billboards, all aimed at putting an end to GBV. “Gender Based Violence is a violation of human rights. Ending gender inequalities is ending GBV because it destroys individuals, families and the society,” Kayiranga said. He called upon Rwandans to partner with the police in driving out GBV and child abuse which he said “is a hindrance to development.” Other activities expected in the course of the week are radio and television talk shows. In a related development, police also supplied two million mosquito nets to children below the age of five and pregnant women during the environmental protection week which ended yesterday. Kayiranga said that the beneficiaries in various hospitals and health centres across the country were selected by hospitals’ staff. Police personnel also built 50 houses for the vulnerable groups in the Eastern Province and planted over 40,000 trees in several parts of the country — 34,000 in the Western Province alone — and constructed 1,100 metres of terraces. In Kayonza district, about six kilometres of fire breakers were also set up around Akagera National Park. Fire has been one of the hazards to the national parks and forests in the country, with the most recent outbreak in Akagera lasting about 38 hours and gutting close to 107 square kilometres. Ends