Rwanda is ranked favourably in empowering women by including them in key leadership roles and policy making. However, reports of mistreatment of women paint a worrying picture.

Available records indicate that at least 2,996 child defilement dossiers were handled by the National Public Prosecution Authority (NPPA) in 2017/2018 compared with 2,086 registered in the previous year (2016-2017), with 1,866 filed to court and 1,096 files closed.

NPPA also received more rape cases - 505 dossiers of rape in 2017/18 compared with 308 cases registered in 2016/2017 with 222 filed to court while 273 files were closed.

This is in addition to 1,091 dossiers on harassment of spouse in 2017/18 compared with 736 cases with 775 filed to Court while 301 files were closed.

Yet the real magnitude of gender-based violence is always difficult to assess as the vice is still largely considered a private matter. In several sexual harassment cases, victims try to hide, arguing it is a dishonour to them.

Moreover, it comes with stigma for in our society, the victim is often blamed. Such an attitude encourages the perpetrators to continue such crimes.

Indeed, one reason why prevention has received less attention is that it is complex and can be difficult to measure.

Addressing social and cultural norms — especially practices that allow the subjugation of women and permit domestic violence —is another piece of the prevention puzzle.

Impunity, too, can be challenging. Traditional systems of justice in many rural settings, are closely linked to existing sociocultural norms and are generally dominated by men.

Even when there are functioning government law enforcement and judicial systems, procedures can be excruciatingly slow, and personnel prone to bribery.

Thus, attempting to reduce gender-based violence by prosecuting offenders may not lead quickly to the desired outcomes.

Getting and keeping girls in school is one of the best protections available, even though schools are not always safe places.

It is very likely that the most vulnerable and those at most risk of GBV — unaccompanied girls, young married girls and girls with disabilities — are among those not attending school, thereby requiring special, targeted outreach efforts.

Finally, providing safe, market-driven economic opportunities for women an mitigate their risks of GBV.

While Rwanda has demonstrated strong political will with regards to women empowerment including trying to address GBV by establishing one-stop centres across the country to ensure that victims get the required support.

The recently reported cases of gender-based violence mean that strong political will is not sufficient. More needs to be done in particular raising awareness to challenge the existing patriarchal structures as well as empowering vulnerable women and girl to able to protect themselves.