The United Nations and World Bank-backed Regional Centre of Excellence against gender-based violence and child abuse in Africa got a boost, yesterday, as its facility at Rwanda National Police headquarters in Kacyiru was launched.
The three-block facility was launched on the sidelines of the ongoing first ever ‘Regional Convention of Women in Security Organs’, which opened yesterday.
Bringing together over 250 African women from security agencies in 37 countries across the continent, the meeting has been organised under the auspices of Kigali International Conference Declaration (KICD) to redraw strategies for the role of women officers in the fight against crimes, especially child abuse and violence against women and girls.
Built at the tune of over Rwf700 million with the support of the World Bank, the centre is a continental comprehensive system put in place for the collection, management and sharing of information and best practices related to gender-based violence (GBV).
It will also host the KICD secretariat and coordinate its activities, as well as serve as a centre for capacity building, advocacy data collection, information exchange and documentation of best practices.
Prime Minister Anastase Murekezi, speaking at the event, urged all members of security organs in Africa to put the centre to good use, now that it has its own offices where people can meet to learn and share best practices in the fight against GBV.
“The beautiful infrastructure is ready. We now need to maximise its use to ensure that we exploit it to its full potential. Indeed, it will boost Africa’s security organs’ collaborative effort in ending violence against women and girls. I call upon all the KICD member states to avail their best experts and provide full support towards full operationalisation of the centre,” he said.
KICD was initiated as a result of UNiTE, a global campaign by UN Secretary-General Ban KiMoon to end violence against women and girls.
The campaign was supported by Rwanda through different meetings that first started with the high level international conference on the role of African Security Organs in Ending Violence against Women and Girls.
Held in Kigali in October 2010, the conference produced the Kigali International Conference Declaration (KICD), which is an initiative that calls upon Africa’s Security Organs to continue taking concrete measures to end violence against women and girls.
Following the launch of KICD in 2010, different activities have been conducted so far, including the construction of the ‘Regional Centre of Excellence’ in the fight against gender-related crimes at Rwanda National Police General Headquarters in Kacyiru.
Apart from launching the centre, participants at the ongoing ‘Regional Convention of Women in Security Organs’ have also shared best practices in prevention and fight against GBV.
At the meeting, women officers drawn from police, military and prison services from across Africa discussed the significant role of women in security organs in the fight against GBV and child abuse, shared experiences and challenges in the area, and renewed their commitment to the fight against the crimes.
One of the participants at the meeting, Maj Sidonia-Amel Kerubino-Kuanyin, of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, told The New Times that the meeting is well responding to challenges in her country.
She said she had been witnessing more and more cases of sexual abuse against women and girls in her country where violent conflicts have been ongoing.
“Sometimes there are many stereotypes and sometimes there is confusion and denial but we come to such a conference and we get to learn from each other. With activities like this, we get to learn from each other and, for me, I learn that there is a way to fight against GBV, and if other countries in Africa did it there is no reason we can’t do it,” she said.
The convention, which coincided with the campaign of ’16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence,’ that is underway in the country, has also attracted experts in peace and security and top officials from governments, UN agencies, civil society organisations and other development partners.