* The present document is being issued without formal editing.

Information received from Rwanda on follow-up to the concluding observations on its combined seventh to ninth periodic reports *

[Date received: 17 February 2020]

I.Introduction

1.The Government of Rwanda is pleased to present to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW Committee), the updated information on measures that have been undertaken to implement the follow-up recommendations issued in February 2017 with regard to its combined seventh to ninth periodic reports.

II.Follow-up information

A.Follow-up information relating to paragraph 23 (d) of the concluding observations

2.Tremendous efforts have been made by the Government and its stakeholders to scale up Isange One Stop Centres (IOSCs). The centres were increased from 9 in 2014 to 44 (to date) to provide gender-based violence (GBV) and child abuse victims with free 24/7 holistic services (including medical treatment, psychosocial counselling and legal aid) under one roof and ease the collection of evidence for GBV and child abuse offences. All centres have skilled personnel that include medical doctors, investigators, psychologists and social workers. Each District is endowed with at least one centre, including those located in rural areas.

3.Furthermore, IOSC basic services have been scaled up at health centres level whereby one room at 495 health centres was equipped to avoid long distance to GBV victims.

4.Temporary shelters for GBV victims at Isange One Stop Centres (IOSCs) were also built in 4 hospitals (Mibilizi, Ngarama, Rwinkwavu and Gakoma Hospitals) since the last review of 2017 to facilitate the rehabilitation of the victims and protect them from stigmatization and re-victimization.

5.The construction of Kacyiru Referral Isange One Stop Centre was completed in January 2020 while the rehabilitation of other IOSCs (Ruhango, Butaro, Rwamagana, Kigeme and Kabutare) was also completed in 2019. This will certainly contribute to fast and quality service delivery and support to GBV victims.

B.Follow-up information relating to paragraph 23 (e) of the concluding observations

6.Rwanda continues to apply a zero-tolerance strategy towards GBV and any reported cases of GBV are thoroughly investigated and prosecuted by Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) and the National Public Prosecution Authority (NPPA) respectively. In 2018/2019, the NPPA received 5,563 cases of GBV and child abuse (including child defilement, rape and harassment of a spouse), out of which 5,544 cases were completely processed (i.e. 99.7 per cent).

7.In 2016/2017, a total of 1,772 cases of GBV and child abuse involving 1,780 suspects were decided by courts, out of which the prosecution won 1,488 cases, hence a conviction rate of 84 per cent. In 2017/2018, the cases of GBV and child abuse decided by courts were 2,293 with 2,487 suspects. The prosecution won 1,903 cases, hence a conviction rate of 83 per cent. In 2018/2019, Rwandan courts gave verdicts in 2,537 cases of GBV and child abuse involving 2,768 suspects. The prosecution won 1,985, which means a conviction rate of 78.2 per cent.

8.The Government provides a specific budget of more than 200 million Rwandan francs annually to support the rehabilitation and reintegration of GBV victims in all Districts. This adds to other support provided to those victims through social protection programs such as the Vision 2020 Umurenge Program (VUP) and One Cow per Poor Family (Girinka).

C.Follow-up information relating to paragraph 25 (b) of the concluding observations

9.Rwanda’s army sticks to its code of conduct and does not tolerate indiscipline. Members of Rwanda Defence Forces who exhibit gross misconduct are dismissed pursuant to Article 7 of the Law No 38/2015 of 30/07/2015 on downsizing, discharge, demobilization and dismissal in Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF). In August 2018 for instance, 67 army officers were expelled for gross misconduct.

10.Every year, Rwanda Peace Academy and East African Standby Force jointly organize a civilian and military/Police training that focuses on protection of Civilians in peace Operations and during armed conflicts. This content is also part of the training delivered by Rwanda Military Academy to all troops preparing for peacekeeping operations.

11.Basic military training in Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) for both the officers and non-commissioned officers provides a full package on the rights of civilians, including women and children.

12.Training on international conventions is provided to all military personnel undergoing ordinary military training and to personnel undergoing UN mission peacekeeping pre-deployment training. The aim of this, is to remind soldiers on the said curricula and to give chance to civilians in the contingent to be on the same level with soldiers on the matter. Rwanda trains at least 6 Battalions per year and each Battalion is supported by a military lawyer for legal advisory during the course of the mission abroad.

13.In collaboration with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN WOMEN), Rwanda’s Peace Operations Training Institute provides courses on the Implementation of the Security Council resolutions on the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda. The courses are practical tools to comprehend the impact of conflict on women, and women’s contribution in peace and security efforts.

D.Follow-up information relating to paragraph 27 (b) of the concluding observations

14.The Government of Rwanda has adopted and implemented measures to prevent and fight against human trafficking. In this regard, awareness campaigns and training on human trafficking were conducted by public institutions and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). During the fiscal year 2016/2017 alone, 273 awareness campaigns on human trafficking were conducted countrywide.

15.Furthermore, the Government of Rwanda has adopted continuous public awareness-raising; through Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion, in collaboration with other stakeholders, in July 2018, it launched a national campaign against human trafficking within the family promotion campaigns. Similarly, in October 2018, the Ministry of Justice launched a community work (umuganda) campaign against human trafficking. Rwanda National Police also carries out anti‑trafficking campaigns in its community policing interventions and community dialogue.

16.From September to December 2019, the Government of Rwanda in collaboration with its partners conducted cross-border dialogues for raising awareness to combat human trafficking in Rwanda. The dialogue sessions took place in five districts namely: Rubavu, Rusizi, Burera, Nyagatare, and Gicumbi. The spaces comprised of diverse participants identified by focal persons in each district with help of local leaders. Individuals from the most at risk groups of human trafficking were selected and included youth, refugees and opinion leaders. Each of these groups comprised of 60 participants. To close dialogue sessions, on 12th December 2019, the national conference on the counter human trafficking project was convened to share experiences and lessons, as well as draw recommendations for the continued fight against the heinous crime.

17.In 2018, Rwanda put in place a specific law on human trafficking, the first of its kind in the history of our country. That is the Law No. 51/2018 of 13/08/2018 relating to the prevention, suppression and punishment of trafficking in persons and exploitation of others. It is a modern and well-developed law which targets all forms of trafficking and includes measures for prevention and response to trafficking as well as rehabilitation of victims. In particular, this law provides measures to detect victims of human trafficking such as the obligation of commercial carriers to verify identity or travel documents of passengers and report to relevant authorities any suspicious case of human trafficking. This law also allows human trafficking victims to stay in Rwanda for a minimum of six months and until the legal proceedings are concluded.

18.Moreover, stringent border control measures intended for preventing cross-border trafficking continue being implemented. Among them, we can mention joint operations conducted by Rwanda National Police and the Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration to identify and rescue prospective victims of trafficking, regular control of human movements at all borders and individual checking of passengers to determine their origin, destination and reason for traveling.

19.Free 24/7 hotlines that facilitate quick emergency reporting, information access and rapid response to Human Trafficking cases have been established in different institutions: Rwanda Investigation Bureau (3512, 166,116), Isange One Stope Centres (3029), Gender Monitoring Office (5798), National Public Prosecution Authority (3677, 3935), Rwanda Defence Forces (3945) and Rwanda National Police (112) and the public especially victims are highly encouraged to report any incident of human trafficking.

20.Between 2017 and 2019, security and migration agents prevented 85 girls from being trafficked. The victims were from different countries such as Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

21.Rwanda effectively investigates and prosecutes any reported cases of human trafficking. In 2017, the prosecution filed 47 cases of human trafficking while in 2018 and 2019, the prosecution recorded 49 and 38 crimes of human trafficking, respectively. In the fiscal year 2018/2019, 20 cases of human trafficking were decided by courts, out of which the prosecution won 15 cases, representing 75 per cent of conviction rate.

22.In 2018/2019 and 2019/2020, 8 victims of human trafficking were facilitated to return to Rwanda from countries where they had been trafficked. The Government of Rwanda provides all necessary means to cover the cost of transportation and repatriation of those victims to Rwanda.