Rwanda is set to review its National Family Promotion Policy and National Gender Equality Policy, with a view of streamlining them and avoid duplication of programmes at the grassroots levels.

The Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (Migrprof) said that the policies will be aligned with the blue print of the Vision 2050 as well as The National Strategy for Transformation, which is the implementation instruments of the Vision 2020.

It will also cover the first four years of the new 30-year Vision for the period up to 2050.

Emerging issues

“Many features are emerging that are not accommodated within this policy. This policy was aligned with the country’s 2010-2017 government programme, and we are looking forward to have it reflected in the country’s long- term programme,” said the Minister of Gender and Family Promotion, Soline Nyirahabimana.

The family promotion and national gender equality policies were adopted in December 2005 and September 2008 respectively.

Rwanda has ratified a number of key international conventions that recognise the value of gender equality and family cohesion, along with the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS2, 2013- 2018), the National Strategy for Transformation, child rights protection and early childhood development, in the country’s journey to sustainable development.

However, they are not yet incorporated into the national policies.

“There is still a lot to do on uncoordinated efforts within decentralized levels because, you might find three or four partners doing the same thing on the ground, yet there are areas that are not considered,” said the executive director of the Rwanda Civil Society Platform, Jean Bosco Nyemazi.

In 2012, the government instituted the gender steering committee to oversee the implementation of gender equality across different levels but the initiative collapsed due to funding constraints.

During last-week’s consultation meeting with other National Gender machinery institutions, the Ministry of Gender said that the revision of policy would include streamlining to offer better understanding of gender equality, family promotion and child rights protection.

“We are going to start collaborating with all the stakeholders, and the consultations will start next month. After that we will come up with the points to be reviewed,” said Goreth Kayitesi,an anti-gender based violence officer in the Migeprof told Rwanda Today.