| UNIFEM in Rwanda |
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The UNIFEM Central Africa Regional Office (CARO), based in Kigali was established in 2002, and covers nine countries: Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Rwanda. UNIFEM’s priority areas for advancing Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Rwanda:
Programming includes: Engaging security and justice sectors (National Police, National Defense Forces, Supreme Court, ProsecutorGeneral) to enhance protection against and elimination of Sexual andGender Based Violence, development of appropriate policy and legalframeworks on SGBV, training and sensitization on women’s human rights, Translating important conventions and agreements such as CEDAW and theBeijing Platform for Action into local languages to sensitize women andtheir communities about women’s rights, and responding to thechallenges presented by the inter-relationship between GBV and HIV/Aids.
Programming Includes: Support to women’s organizations andforums that work to train, empower and build capacities of electedwomen leaders and women in decision making, engendering policies andlegal frameworks, and women’s increased participation in politicalprocesses, justice mechanisms both formal and informal and their accessto justice, while promoting cross-regional learning. StrategicTraining and Sensitization programs (e.g on UNSCR 1325, 1820)demonstrate the value-added women bring to achieving sustainable peaceand security.
Programming includes: Increasing and expanding women’scapacities as entrepreneurs, producers and home based workers,emphasizing women’s empowerment for their economic security, and thatof their families and communities. Key partnerships include localauthorities, women’s organizations and the private sector, focusing onskills training, production of handicrafts (including the famous “PeaceBaskets”) and access to local and international markets, and promotingwomen’s use of ICTs in their businesses. UNIFEM supports capacitystrengthening for gender advocates to better engage in nationaldevelopment processes and plans (e.g. PRSPs) to ensure effectiveincorporation of Gender Equality concerns.
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