Save the Children International signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Director of Rwanda Peace Academy on conduct of training and research for child protection.
The agreement was signed between Natacha Vorholter Natacha, Deputy Regional Director of Save the Children International and Director of Rwanda Peace Academy (RPA), Col Jill Rutaremara at RPA in Nyakinama, Musanze District on 23 January 2015.
During the signing event, Natacha said that the memorandum signed with the RPA will help Save the Children to achieve its objective of protection of children in the region and beyond.
Adding that the agreement followed the status of Rwanda Peace Academy mainly by its status— Centre of Excellence by the Eastern Africa Standby Force, as one of the main body in peace building training in Africa which has shown such incredible commitment in terms of training military, police and civilians for children protection in conflict and post conflict.
“We have joint partnership with both the Eastern Standby Force and Rwanda Peace Academy; we believe this joint partnership will be stronger as we work together,” she noted.
She reiterated the continued support by Save the Children to the EASF institutions and structures.
The Director of Rwanda Peace Academy, Col Jill Rutaremara on his part told the media that the MoU would strengthen the existing cooperation between the two institutions.
“We worked together with Save the Children without an agreement; the signed MoU will support our existing cooperation for protection of children”.
Rwanda Peace Academy has so far trained 1088 military, police and civilians personnel in 33 different courses.
In September, last year Military personnel, Police and Civilians from eight Eastern African Standby Force (EASF) Member States under went training at RPA on Child protection in Peace Support Operations (PSO) so as to prevent and respond to violation of children’s rights.
The government of Rwanda has established a new family law, which stipulates the rights of a child in family to promote child rights and prevention of child abuse.
Security bodies like Rwanda National Police play a bigger role in handling child abuse cases, treatment and creating awareness to end child abuse by holding Police week campaigns, through the gender desk.
“Save the Children, within the framework of child protection in armed conflict will continue to be in support of efforts aimed at strengthening institutions and structures of EASF in order to enhance capacities of peacekeepers to provide adequate protection to children during and after conflict situations.”