About us

Welcome speech

Dear Esteemed Visitors,

We are very much honoured to welcome you ALL to the official website of the Rwanda Men’s Resource Center (RWAMREC). RWAMREC recognizes gender equality as a fundamental human right and as a condition for effective and sustainable development.

Nowadays, our global society is developing very quickly and taking many positive development directions. However, eradicating violence against women and children, and ending sexual and gender based violence to achieve gender equality remains a major challenge. RWAMREC was therefore created and is fully committed to providing its contribution to ongoing national efforts through promotion of positive forms of masculinities, engagement of men as positive and supportive partners, and strengthening strategic partnerships between women and men for that end. We believe that by so doing, we can provide a significant contribution in making of Rwanda a good society where men working in partnership with women can lead to effective promotion of positive gender relationships and healthy families.

We want this website to work as an interaction forum, where RWAMREC will be able to get your views and ideas in promoting gender equality, and would like to invite you ALL to join us and make your invaluable contribution in this regard. Furthermore, we hope so much that our internet portal will also be an effective and efficient communication and information tool for ALL our partners and stakeholders in development. You are most welcome again.

Venant Nzabonimana, RWAMREC Chairman

Vision

The Vision of RWAMREC is a Rwandan peaceful society where women and men share roles and responsibilities of raising families, and governing society in equality and respect of human rights.

Mission

RWAMREC’s distinctive and innovative mission is to promote gender equality through reconstruction of a non-violent identity of men, adoption of healthy masculine behaviours and men’s empowerment to be positive and supportive partners, role models for other men and change agents in promoting healthy families and women’s socio-economic development, eradication of sexual and gender-based violence, positive fatherhood and men’s health in Rwanda.

Objectives

1. Promote Male Engagement approaches and initiatives in ending men’s violence against women and gender-based violence,

2. Promote Men’s positive attitudes and behaviours towards non-violence and gender equality practices in Rwanda,

3. Building partnerships, networking synergies between men and women for effective prevention of sexual and gender-based violence and promotion of healthy families,

4. Spearheading capacity development networking and building synergies with other stakeholders for effective prevention of sexual and gender-based,

5. Development of community resource centres and evidence-based programming initiatives based on action-oriented research in areas of gender equality, Men Engage approaches, and gender-based violence in Rwanda.

Main activities

Carry out mass mobilization and sensitization campaigns to engage men to adopt positive masculine behaviours to effectively prevent gender-based violence.

Conduct action-oriented research on perceptions and practices on masculinity and GBV in Rwanda.

Capacity development for mainstreaming and implementing the Men Engagement approaches into gender promotion and GBV prevention programs,

Provide training and material resources for implementing Men Engage initiatives through gendered programs.

Carry out Policy Advocacy initiatives and dialogues with the Government and other stakeholders to proactively prevent gender-based violence ;

Organize dialogues and school mentorship programs in order to involve as many young women and men as possible in GBV prevention throughout Rwanda.

Promotion of positive masculine behaviours with uniformed personnel (police, army, and students)

There are several areas of development where these activities should be carried out, including health, education, women's empowerment, poverty reduction programs, the demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants, public awareness and community mobilization on preventing gender-based violence, empowering local leaders and opinion leaders to provide gendered collective services, promoting and protecting the rights of women and children.