Human Rights and Gender in Rwanda

Gender and Human Rights

Rwanda is world-renowned for having terrific national policies and programs in place to try to correct some of the inequalities endured by women and girls for decades, and some would argue centuries. One of the most commonly noted statistics is that Rwanda has the highest percentage of women in its Parliament than any other country in the world, over 50%. But this is not just a question of numbers in a legislative body. From proactive land policies that allow women to own their own plots of land to health policies that ensure that all girls are vaccinated for cervical cancer, Rwanda has ensured that “gender” issues have been mainstreamed. It would take far too much space here to elaborate on each proactive policy in Rwanda related to the empowerment of women. Go into any village of the country, facilitate a community meeting on any topic, and, after a flurry of responses from men, there are bound to be a handful of people who will giggle and encourage women to start raising their hands even if you just say the word “gender” (in English)! – Jesse Hawkes, GYC Executive Director

 

From the Delegates:

Workshop Discussions & Visiting with the Kigali Institute of Education’s Gender Studies Department

On Day 5 of the August delegation, we broke into groups of about four to discuss the issue of gender and its relationship to human rights as a whole. The different groups were a mix of Rwandan and international participants. Jesse gave us several items to consider within our groups during the discussions, such as: What is gender? What are the rights associated with gender? How do individuals see this topic differently? Why is there a need for gender-specific rights when human rights should account for the rights of all people?

In response to the last question, our group asserted that human rights laws cannot take into account all of the difficulties and rights violations experienced by marginalized groups. It was also noted that just because an international law exists does not mean that it will be obeyed.

In terms of the first questions, one idea that came up – both in my own small group and as a large group – was the difference in the conceptual definition of gender between the Rwandan and international delegates. When asked to define ‘gender’, many of the internationals described it in value-neutral terms, relating it equally between males and females. There were variations in the degree definitions were related to the idea of the physical sex of the person and to the idea of gender being socially constructed. The idea of gender for Rwandans, however, seemed inextricably linked to the fight for gender equality. When asked to define gender, participants responded, “It is the promotion of equality between men and women,” or “It is promoting women as equals.”

According to participants in Rwanda, the promotion of gender equality has focused on the idea of “complementarity” as opposed to the idea of “equal” which could imply sameness. In our group, we explored this idea in depth, discussing how men and women should have similar opportunities and the same rights, but in a way that acknowledges the differences between the sexes.

At the same time, we acknowledged that Rwanda has pushed for equality of the sexes in a variety of ways involving, and exceeding, affirmative action. Laws and policies have been developed to put women into the forefront of Rwanda’s development as a country. These laws include quotas, for example to increase the numbers of women in secondary school and within universities since these are traditionally male-dominated areas of education. Because women’s educational participation has been historically low, the country must work very hard to increase the number of qualified women in order to meet the quotas. Rwanda has exceeded the quota/mandate that 30% of parliamentarians are women.

However, our group also noted that, with the focus on the inclusion of women in higher education and traditionally masculine jobs, some tension has developed among Rwandans, and the country must also change the traditional understanding of gender and gender roles. Note: we had seen some evidence of the jealousy of men towards affirmative action policies even in the Kiziba Refugee Camp (based on a previous report we saw from previous delegations).

Later in the day, we visited the Kigali Institute of Education’s groundbreaking Gender Studies Department, to better understand their responses to the same questions and to find out more about their program in general.

Related to our previous discussions and topics: The fear of male resentment was summarily dismissed by the academic Dean of KIE, a man. However, the head of the gender studies program, a woman, acknowledged the potential for the increased focus on female participation to cause tension and asserted that there was a need for increased understanding of the term “masculinity” and a discussion of male identity in Rwandan society. The KIE Department was very hopeful that Rwanda would succeed in this regard in part due to their efforts. The KIE program is trying to introduce studies on masculinity because both genders are equally involved in the process of gender equality. Introducing, explaining, and opening up discussion about gender is key because historically it is taboo. Opening up this area of discussion is also seen as important to the overall increase in self-expression that “did not exist before 1994” according to KIE’s director. KIE is also working with law enforcement to reduce gender based violence by creating and conducting a training for law enforcement officers. They also hope that increased awareness of gender issues, particularly violence, will result in an increase in ‘community policing’.

ANALYSIS/REACTIONS:

Overall, our intergroup discussions were interesting and educational. Both KIE representatives were very warm and welcoming to our delegation, dedicating a significant amount of time in providing use with information and in taking our questions.

Several delegation members felt some of the KIE meeting was high in rhetoric and political in nature, as some questions from participants were mollified with platitudes. For example, the Dean had responded “do not be afraid” to concerns about gender relations/jealousy raised by delegates. The head of the gender studies department seemed practical and upfront, however, about the challenges facing Rwanda even as it moves forward.

MINISTRY OF GENDER AND FAMILY PROMOTION

Later in the trip, we had a chance to meet with the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion, and while the majority of the meeting thankfully focused on practical issues/questions/challenges and solutions, we did have a chance to discuss Gender as a concept too. After a question about whether LGBTI issues were considered part of the definitions of Gender and Family in Rwanda, the impression we got from the Ministry is that “Gender” — in the policies and discussions at the government level — is a term reserved for addressing the traditional notion of “men” and “women.” There is a contrast between what is being taught at KIE and how the Ministry defines Gender. KIE is addressing the multifaceted nature of Gender in a modernizing world, where some people may not even consider themselves to be traditionally “male” or “female.”  Please see the separate write up about that visit for more information.

 

Abortion/Domestic-Workers/Arts

Small Group Discussion among Alumni -- on Human Rights of Domestic Workers

On our wrap up day in the July/August program, we discussed several crucial issues that had been coming up in our programming. These are the notes from the sessions:

 

HR of DOMESTIC WORKERS

Small Group discussion on domestic workers – Sat. August 13th, 2011

Approximately 11 current and former GYC alumni joined the discussion on human rights and domestic workers, including ADBEF President Lyhotely  Ndagijmana who spoke of the work that his organization is doing in regards to this issue.  ADBEF (The association for the defense of human rights, lasting development and well-being of the family) was created in 2006 with a focus on protecting the rights of family members and a vision of a world where all people live happily in dignity and socio-economic security.  Some members of the discussion group were not familiar with the work of ADBEF and were happy to learn of the work ADBEF is doing in advocating for and educating domestic workers on their rights.

Members of the group shared personal experiences as we discussed the question of how best to advocate for this marginalized group of people.

The discussion centered around the fundamental need for a basic level of education for domestic workers so that they understand their rights and so they have the knowledge and resources to help themselves.

We also talked about how we can work to slowly change people’s attitudes so that domestic workers are treated with the same level of respect and that their human rights are also observed.

The discussion concluded with a commitment from each member that along with the great work that ADBEF continues to do in advocating for the rights of domestic workers, we all need to take action in our own lives to address this issue.  The first step is to slowly change the attitudes of people and to educate the community about the rights of domestic workers.  While we all acknowledged that this attitude change certainly won’t happen overnight, we can continue to talk about this issue and to advocate for the rights of domestic workers at the community level and beyond.

We can also use the GYC alumni community as an excellent resource to continue this discussion and to connect with other people who are passionate about this issue.

 

ARTS ADVOCACY

Arts Education Advocacy Workshop

Attended by Lowell Brower, Adrianna Lawson, Erin Mosely, Christina Callingham, Brittany Cassel, Benoit Tuyisenge, Remy Tuyiringire, Francoise Uzamukunda, Rose Tuyishime (RAPP), Philippe Ngabonziza (RAPP), Emmanuel Nkuranga (Ivuka)

Why arts and arts education matter to us

• Arts for peace, arts for reconciliation
• Arts for art’s sake – creative/vibrant society + social unity
• Arts as a tool for advocacy – changing views, language beyond words, emotional power
• Arts as method for broaching taboo/emotional/hard to communicate topics
• Arts as income generation (livelihood)
• Arts as a serious, legitimate profession/career
• Arts to get kids interested in education
• Arts education to build creativity from an early age
• Arts as a powerful tool for self expression
• Arts as a human rights education tool
• Arts as positive, safe, and creative outlet for youth
• Newly appointed Minister of Youth, Sports, and Culture MITALI Protais; according to Ishyo he is receptive/persuadable, and should therefore be a primary advocacy target
• Rwanda has just approved a new arts section for the national curriculum, but there is a lot of advocacy that can be done to help shape exactly how arts education will be implemented (reach out to Ministry of Education to see what steps can be taken)
• Need statistics and a strategic action plan for larger arts/arts education campaign; need to build a coalition of interested organizations and individuals
• Consider creating a National Youth Arts Forum, which would bring together artists from all genres (film, theater, music, visual arts, etc.) on a monthly basis; combining energy, resources, and ideas; themed conversations on issues that matter to all young artists and a possible launching pad for advocacy efforts; seek the support of the Minister of Culture for this forum (perhaps he could even attend from time to time); Ishyo can likely provide the space; examples of the kinds of discussions that could take place are – how to balance traditional and modern forms in artistic practice? Is there a “Rwandan” aesthetic or style that we are aiming for? If so, what is it, and how is it different from other East African or global styles? How can we as artists promote ourselves AND help market each other?
• Organize a Month of the Arts festival, combining theater, film, music, and the visual arts; get support from Rwanda Tourism Board and others who may be able to help with marketing and promotion; the goal of this festival would be to highlight both the aesthetic and monetary value of Rwandan arts – platform for individual artists to show their talents
• Promote action through the arts, promote arts by using it as a tool – show its importance, its value, and its diversity in order to convince Rwandan society that the arts are a serious and legitimate profession (the best way to convince people is to display talent)
• The more visible art is, the more value government and society will place on the arts; artists need to find strategic platforms for their art (e.g. Ishyo staged the final night of this year’s “Center by Center” performances in the Rwanda Development Board offices)
• Talented individuals are still young, but conversations among young artists need to happen so that they can figure out ways to become role models for younger kids

How to advocate for the arts/arts education

• Newly appointed Minister of Youth, Sports, and Culture MITALI Protais; according to Ishyo he is receptive/persuadable, and should therefore be a primary advocacy target
• Rwanda has just approved a new arts section for the national curriculum, but there is a lot of advocacy that can be done to help shape exactly how arts education will be implemented (reach out to Ministry of Education to see what steps can be taken)
• Need statistics and a strategic action plan for larger arts/arts education campaign; need to build a coalition of interested organizations and individuals
• Consider creating a National Youth Arts Forum, which would bring together artists from all genres (film, theater, music, visual arts, etc.) on a monthly basis; combining energy, resources, and ideas; themed conversations on issues that matter to all young artists and a possible launching pad for advocacy efforts; seek the support of the Minister of Culture for this forum (perhaps he could even attend from time to time); Ishyo can likely provide the space; examples of the kinds of discussions that could take place are – how to balance traditional and modern forms in artistic practice? Is there a “Rwandan” aesthetic or style that we are aiming for? If so, what is it, and how is it different from other East African or global styles? How can we as artists promote ourselves AND help market each other?
• Organize a Month of the Arts festival, combining theater, film, music, and the visual arts; get support from Rwanda Tourism Board and others who may be able to help with marketing and promotion; the goal of this festival would be to highlight both the aesthetic and monetary value of Rwandan arts – platform for individual artists to show their talents
• Promote action through the arts, promote arts by using it as a tool – show its importance, its value, and its diversity in order to convince Rwandan society that the arts are a serious and legitimate profession (the best way to convince people is to display talent)

ABORTION ISSUES:

The group discussed the issue of Abortion, but decided that the issue is so sensitive that posting about it on-line is not going to be beneficial at this point. The advocacy campaign is going to be unveiled by Health Development Initiative and if you want more info about it, you can contact them at kaafs@yahoo.ca

HR & Disabilities/Arts/Press

Phillippe Passionately Addresses his fellow GYC Alumni About Disabilities

On July 9^th, we finished this June/July Turikumwe! Cross Cultural Delegation with a brainstorming session on various issues that we’d yet to fully consider as a group, or about which we wanted to get some outside perspective.

The “extra” brainstorming issues discussed were Advocacy for the Arts / Arts Education in Schools; human rights of LGBTI people, and the human rights of people living with disabilities.

Attendees included health consultants, NGO workers, GYC Alumni,  people who identify as being part of the LGBTI population in Rwanda, representatives from the National Association of People Living with HIV/AIDS (ANSP+), psychiatric counselors, and others.

There were no watershed moments during the discussions, but the groups recorded their brainstorming and agreed to (a) encourage the youth in the next Turikumwe! program to continue to take-up these issues, preferably in the context of their work with local organizations, and (b) meet again at the next delegation’s wrap-up day for further consideration of next steps.

 

ADVOCACY FOR THE ARTS IN RWANDA:

Challenges facing this cause: There is little perception of how hard artists need to work to create their art. Part of the challenge is that there is a lot of theatre and film that is meant to spread messages, so some people think that that is the only option/need and therefore there is little need to do anything more for artists, if the “art for the message’s sake” is already readily available.

 

HUMAN RIGHTS OF LGBTI PEOPLE IN RWANDA:

Some key accolades for Rwanda on this issue:  It is not illegal to be LGBTI in Rwanda. More LGBTI people are expressing themselves more freely today without retribution. There are some services that cater to the specific needs of the LGBTI population, particularly in the field of HIV Prevention.

Some key challenges: Very few organizations have clearly defined programs to assist the LGBTI population. There is a lack of socio/psychological assistance for the LGBTI population.

Of the key questions that came-up , but which remain to be fully analyzed and discussed, the following stood out.

• How visible should activists be in the Rwandan context? Is it always better to be very open about advocating and acting on behalf of the human rights of LGBTI people? Should there be a role model who is LGBTI who can speak out on their behalf? Or a role model who is not LGBTI?
• Even though it is not illegal to be LGBTI in Rwanda, should we be advocating for a special law that would specifically focus on protecting the human rights of LGBTI people? Or should we just rely on Rwanda’s current laws against discrimination? Note: this question was raised in the visit to parliament – and the response from the Commission was “you should just use the current laws that protect everyone from discrimination.” However, one of the crucial areas where this has yet to be tested is in the court system.

 

RIGHTS OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH DISABILITIES

This is what Alexandra Saper wrote following her consulation with Bonaventure Tuyisenge who is a Counseling Trainer Supervisor at Kigali Health Institute (and a GYC alum!).

Throughout recent years, Rwanda has made progress in protecting the rights of people living with disabilities in the country. For example, several hospital clinics have been built to be accessible to people with mobility impairments, while several schools provide educational services that can be adapted for people with various physical and cognitive disabilities. There have also been clinics and programs created to specifically target people with psychological disabilities, such as psychotic disorders or psychological trauma. However, serious challenges still face people living in Rwanda with physical, cognitive, medical, and other disabilities. In particular, physical accessibility in Rwanda remains seriously undeveloped, while cultural and social barriers can often deter individuals from seeking psychological care. In addition, in many villages, people with disabilities are shamed into hiding and are therefore prevented from receiving information on their rights and obtaining access to services and treatment.  Many counselors in Rwanda are not able to adequately distinguish between PTSD, trauma, and grief, all of which require different treatment approaches.

At the alumni session, Phillippe, a GYC Alumnus said:

 

I am working on a project to increase awareness about the rights of PLWD, such as my brother who also uses a wheelchair. We hope that there can be more networking about this in the GYC Rwanda Alumni listserv as well as at the next brainstorming session, or even linked to some of the local partner organizations in the program!

 

One of our international participants, Cecelia Black, uses a wheelchair, and she had this to say about her time in Rwanda and Africa in general:

 

Traveling in Rwanda and Southern Africa in a wheelchair exposed the challenges and differences that countries continue to face in regards to disability rights.  In addition to a weak infrastructure, Rwanda’s natural hilly landscape poses a serious barrier for people with mobility issues.  Most of Rwanda’s buildings have not made special provisions for wheelchair users and often have a few steps, as well as inaccessible bathrooms.  One major difference between Rwanda and the US was people’s attitudes toward me and my wheelchair.  I felt that Rwandans where much more surprised to see me, but at the same time more willing to offer assistance than Americans.  I noticed many of these same themes traveling in southern Zimbabwe. Surprisingly however, the accessibility in Swaziland was a drastic contrast from Rwanda and Zimbabwe.  Despite very depressed cities and a largely rural country, Swaziland is incredibly accessible, relatively speaking.  Almost all public restrooms include a handicap bathroom and more often than not ramps have been added to storefronts.  In South Africa, I have experienced a broad spectrum of wheelchair accessibility.  I feel that South Africa is more cognizant of accessibility challenges than Rwanda, Zimbabwe, and Swaziland, however there is still a long way to go before the country is like the US, where all new stores and buildings are constructed under handicap regulations.  Still, traveling in Africa made me realize that the political correctness and independent mindset in America makes people afraid to offer help to people with disabilities.  We could use a lesson from Africans openly accommodating attitudes.

 

The delegation opened up everyone’s eyes to the mobility limitations facing PLWD, and especially people who lack the ability to use their legs or artificial limbs. At the same time, it also helped us to see the kindness of both Rwandans and foreigners living in Rwanda, everyone of whom was always willing to lend a hand to help.

 

The alumni session at the end was inspirational. Actively engaged alumni were there to encourage the recent “grads” and to network for some of their crucial causes: such as seeking medical care for women who have abortions in Rwanda and de-criminalization of sex-working in Rwanda.

We reminded all alumni that there are several tools that they can use to keep in touch with one another and to gather support from one another, such as the email listserv for all alumni (both Rwandan and International). And that if they want to spark conversations on-line, they can use facebook to start a question and answer session with their friends.

One new grad said, “I am going to go to our community work day – umuganda — and I am going to tell people about what I learned about human rights!”

 

Wrap Up Press Conference!

On the final day, we also held a press conference – to explore how our message would be picked-up by the Rwandan Press (both in print and on television/radio).

We presented on the various issues and findings. You can download our press briefing here!

In terms of stories:

There was at least one in Kinyarwanda:  http://www.igihe.com/spip.php?article14233

There was another in English in Rwanda’s only daily paper (By the way, we have no idea who Fred Ndahiro is – he was not a participant in our program!): http://www.newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14683&article=43067

 

 

Note about Journalism in Rwanda:

Journalism is one of the most controversial and difficult of all sectors in Rwanda. There is a strict media law that is overseen by a governmental body called the Media High Council. Given the fact that in the lead up to the Genocide the media was used for spreading hate messages, Rwanda’s parliament enacted laws that attempt to minimize the potential dangers of mis-use of media. We didn’t get into many discussions about this during this program, but we did feel the effects of a less than perfect media environment in Rwanda, one that is plagued also by a lack of resources, and perhaps a lack of will-power (even on our part!).

Here is the story about why the television did not come to our event!  They received the invitation and called us to confirm the location of the event, but they said they did not have a car to transport themselves to the place. It was hard to imagine that the state-run television station would not be able to fund its journalists to cover an event that they wished to cover, but nevertheless, we told them that we would be able to pay for a taxi that could bring them to the location, but that we didn’t have a driver who could pick them. They did not make the arrangement to come however. And why not? Why didn’t the TV come anyway, even after we said we would pay their ride? We were told that this is common for the TV reporters. If they do not get picked-up, they will not come.  Period. Those organizations that can send a car, get the story. It’s the system. Afterwards, we were told that this is part of an on-going challenge in Rwanda related to how the press functions.  It is very common for the press to demand some “transportation” contribution when they cover an event. The practice is actually forbidden according to Rwanda’s media law and standards/regulations, but still we were told that it is a very common practice. Sometimes reporters demand the money, but they don’t want to sign for that money because they fear that someone will find out. At our event, the reporters all signed for a “transportation” allowance. But we explained that if they wish to cover our events in the future, they should not expect to receive anything. At some point, this cycle needs to be broken!