Refugee men in Mahama take the lead in raising awareness about gender-based violence

Elie Mutangana — 2024-02-18T14:01:19Z

In Mahama camp, a group of refugee men is standing up against gender-based violence (GBV), according to UNHCR Rwanda. The men, by being positive and supportive, are contributing to support women feel comfortable with talking about things they couldn't talk about before.

“When we conduct campaigns in the camp, more people become aware of gender-based violence and learn where to seek assistance,” explains Patrick Nsengiyumva, one of the co-founders of the club dubbed “EJONIHEZA” translated as “tomorrow is better.”

Patrick says they created the club to break down cultural walls in the diverse community of Burundians and Congolese refugees.

Established in 2021, the EJONIHEZA club is one of four clubs of men – including two in Mahama camp and two in the host community – who came together after receiving training on positive masculinity and the social contract approach, which is about the role of the community members in solving the problems that they are facing.

The club is composed of 30 refugee men from all villages of Mahama Camp, the largest refugee camp located in eastern Rwanda.

EJONIHEZA Club ‘s approach involves mass mobilization through awareness campaigns where they visit households through door-to-door approaches, and community by community to spread messages about the prevention of GBV. As role models, their presence is well-known in every village, advocating for positive masculinity, which entails embracing principles of gender equality and harmony.

Beyond combating gender-based violence, the club also advocates for addressing challenges hindering girls from accessing education and confronts the root causes of domestic violence affecting their educational opportunities.

For instance, they managed to bring together 157 teen mothers and advocated for them to go back to school and access career training with support from EDUFAM, a project of PRO-FEMMES TWESE HAMWE that aims to empower displaced women and girls through education.

Young mothers have also received training on essential life skills and self-care from Pro-Femmes Twese Hamwe. Some were supported to go back to school, while others were given vocational training in sewing and hairdressing for six months. Despite facing cultural barriers, Patrick says their club has persisted in its mission to combat gender-based violence.

“Even today, cultural barriers persist. Sometimes we notice a culture of secrecy,” he says, adding that one of the reasons GBV persists is because some people see it as a family private matter, an attitude he along with other men in the club is working to change.

Patrick acknowledges that their robust awareness campaigns in the camp are yielding results, as more women become aware of various forms of GBV, know where to seek assistance, and are increasingly willing to speak up against GBV. 

Source: UNHCR Rwanda.

Court orders mental health check-up of teenager accused of defiling 17 boys

Administrator — 2021-01-04T12:12:00Z

The Gasabo Intermediate Court on Tuesday, December 29, ordered prosecution to examine the mental health state of a 19 year-old man suspected of defiling 17 young boys at different times in Gasabo district.

Prosecution was also asked to ascertain whether the suspect does not have any sexually transmitted disease, which if confirmed that he does would aggravate his penalty.

Both exercises will, according to the court, determine the court's verdict on the case.

Concerning the outcomes from the mental health assessment, in case the suspect is found to be mentally ill, he will not face any penalty, but will be committed to a mental facility.

According to the criminal procedure, the mental instability of a suspect erodes their culpability to a crime.

Court will reconvene on January 14 to hear the findings of both assessments, the judge ruled.

Meanwhile, prosecution had previously requested for a life sentence to the suspect.

The 19 year-old has pleaded guilty of the allegations.

According to the prosecution, defiled children are aged between 7 and 14, and the suspect allegedly used toys to lure the young boys into having sex with him.

Between August and October, the 19 year-old had already defiled 17 boys.

Reports say that the suspect had dropped out of school in 2015 and started fabricating toys which he sometimes would sell in the neighbourhood and beyond.

Like his victims, he is a resident of Nyamabuye cell in Gatsata sector, Gasabo district.

A grandmother of one of the victims told The New Times last week that they discovered the atrocities when the child who is in primary two, complained of pain in the rectum, saying that a man in the neighbourhood had molested him and refused to give him a toy he had promised.

On the same day that other children from the same village also reported about the same issue with the same man, which prompted parents of these victims to inform local leaders and security personnel.

During the substantive trial, the court heard that the suspect would first use cream on them before inserting his organ in their anus, and the suspect admitted to doing so.

All the children were later taken –in company of their parents – to Kacyiru Isange One Stop Centre where they were tested and offered physiological support.

According to the penal law, defilement is punishable with imprisonment between 20 years and lifetime.

Latest figures show that in the first six months of 2020 some 2,157 cases of defilement have been reported to Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB).

RIB said that while 3,152 cases were reported in 2018 and 3,623 in 2019, there were indications that the number this year would most likely be higher.

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Refugee men in Mahama take the lead in raising awareness about gender-based violence

Court orders mental health check-up of teenager accused of defiling 17 boys