Rwanda National Police (RNP) continued their public awareness campaign against gender-based violence (GBV) and child abuse to Huye District, Southern Province. The countrywide campaign under the theme: ‘Act together in Prevention and Response to GBV and Child Abuse’ was launched in Musanze District in partnership with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Family and Gender Promotion plus the One UN Rwanda. CP Emmanuel Butera, RNP Commissioner for Operations, said partnership among different institutions and the general public was paramount in preventing GBV and child abuse in the country. He challenged campaigners also to join RNP in the fight against drug abuse and other malpractices such as selling alcohol to children under the age of 18. Butera noted that drug abuse was one of the causes of GBV because it was linked with crimes like rape, defilement and assault. “If we want to have a GBV-free society, it is paramount that we take a collective measure to protect the youth from drug abuse,” he said, adding that the force had established Isange One Stop Centre to address the issue. Isange One Stop Centre provides free psycho, socio-medical and legal services to adults and child survivors of GBV and child abuse and currently operates in 9 district hospitals across the country. Marie Claire Uwumuremyi, the coordinator of National Women Council in the Southern Province, commended RNP’s continued efforts in the fight against GBV. Uwumuremyi also called upon family members to openly speak out on cases of GBV, an approach she noted would help to uproot the vice in the country. The campaign to fight and prevent GBV and child abuse is expected to cover different places in the country and will be ended in Kicukiro District.
