Rwanda Men’s Resource Centre (RWAMREC) is a non-government organization striving to achieve gender equality through the promotion of positive masculinities and male engagement approaches in preventing gender-based violence (GBV) in Rwanda. RWAMREC was founded in 2006 by nine members and was legally established in 2008 by Ministerial Order no. 114/11 of 3/9/2008. The organization was formed as a response aimed at seeing men become part of the solution and efforts to end men’s violent behaviors. With this concept, the organization worked to change the masculinity norms of men and boys to become positive and supportive partners in promoting gender equality in Rwanda.
The creation of RWAMREC was also triggered by the fact that gender promotion work was misunderstood as purely women’s affairs, with men tending to exclude themselves, and some feeling that they were being disempowered by gender equality to the detriment of women. This resulted in some men standing in the way of or blocking women’s empowerment efforts in many ways in trying to protect their masculinities. RWAMREC’s answer was to bring men together to understand that they too benefit from women's empowerment and are part of gender equality promotion work and benefits.
Since its founding, RWAMREC has transitioned from a small local organization to a nationally active non-governmental organization with programs in 24 districts spread over all the provinces of Rwanda. Since its inception, the primary focus of the organization continues to be promoting positive masculinity and the reduction of violence against women and children by men. RWAMREC operates in 24 districts of Rwanda to promote gender equality and fight against sexual and gender-based violence.