A delegation from Police Service of Northern Ireland has commended Rwanda’s strategies to fight Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the country.
The remarks where made by the head of delegation Inspector Richard Brown while touring Isange One Stop Centre at Rwanda National Police (RNP) which was designed to tackle GBV on May 27, 2015 in Kigali.
He described the centre, an exemplary model that police institutions should aspire to emulate in order to fight GBV and child abuse effectively.
During our week long visit we have been impressed at how Rwanda has promoted gender equality.
“Rwanda has become a model in the fight against GBV despite having a traumatic experience of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi,” he said.
“Many countries should emulate the practical solutions that Rwanda implemented in order to avoid conflict and champion equal rights,” he said.
The delegation toured the anti-GBV and Child Abuse Directorate centre at RNP and the Isange One Stop Centre at the Kacyiru Police Hospital in a bid to collect experiences on how RNP promotes gender equality by offering quality services to victims of GBV.
The centre was established in 2009 with the support of the First Lady and One UN.
Through advocacy and networking with Global Fund, the First Lady Madam Jeannette Kagame through Imbuto Foundation, was able to put infrastructures at KPH covering different suitable services for women like Women pavilion (maternity ward), project to support women empowerment, department for services that protect mother to child HIV transmission and Isange.
Isange model has provisions for emergency contraception, HIV prophylaxis, Sexual Transmission Infections (STI) prevention and other medications.
It provides free referral and specialized services like medico-legal, gynecology and obstetrics, mental health, legal and investigation, psychosocial, safe room and social integration services.
Survivors, who stay in the safe room, receive basic services like feeding, clothing and shelter.
The centre scooped the United Nations Public Service Award (UNPSA) 2012 for its efforts in fighting Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV).
The award dubbed “Promoting Gender Responsive Delivery” of Public Services was in recognition of the success of the Isange. UNPSA is the most prestigious international recognition of excellence in public service.
Since its establishment in 2009, it has received over 10, 000 cases, majority related to sexual and gender violence.