National Round Table on Male Engagement in SRHR, GBV and HIV Prevention: RWAMREC Drives a New Era for Engaging Men and Boys in Rwanda
- Laura Gotti
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
On 5 November 2025, RWAMREC, in collaboration with RRP+ and with technical support from UNFPA and UNAIDS, successfully convened the National Round Table on Male Engagement in SRHR, GBV and HIV Prevention at M Hotel, Kigali.
The national dialogue marked a critical milestone in Rwanda’s journey to advance gender equality, strengthen sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), prevent gender-based violence (GBV), and improve HIV outcomes by placing men and boys at the centre of solutions.
The round table convened a diverse group of stakeholders from government institutions, UN agencies, youth-led organisations, civil society, faith-based organisations, and media, establishing a shared platform for coordinated national action.
A Unified Multi-Sectoral Dialogue
The event brought together key institutions including the Ministry of Health and Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), Gender Monitoring Office (GMO), Rwanda TVET Board (RTB), UNFPA Rwanda, UNAIDS, GIZ Rwanda, CARE International, National Youth Council, AfriYAN, Afro Ark, Impanuro Girls Initiative, and civil society partners such as RWAMREC, RRP+, RICH and HDI. Media houses and social media influencers, including UMUSEKE and Rwanda Women Magazine, played a key role in amplifying the national conversation.
The diversity of participants reflected a growing national consensus that sustainable progress in SRHR, GBV prevention and HIV response cannot be achieved without the meaningful and systematic engagement of men and boys.
RWAMREC’s Vision: From Fragmentation to Coordination
In his opening remarks, the RWAMREC Executive Director highlighted Rwanda’s significant gains in GBV prevention, access to SRHR services and HIV control. However, he emphasized that critical gaps remain in engaging men within SRHR and GBV services, and in addressing harmful social norms that discourage male participation.
He stressed that fragmented approaches and inconsistent tools have limited the impact of male engagement initiatives. The Executive Director underscored the vital role of young people, particularly those who contributed to testing and adapting the Y4C module, as drivers of sustainable behaviour change.
“Meaningful male engagement is essential for sustaining HIV prevention and improving community wellbeing,” he noted, calling for intentional, coordinated and youth-informed approaches.
UNFPA and National Leadership on Male Engagement
During the opening session, UNFPA Rwanda reaffirmed Rwanda’s position as a continental leader in promoting gender equality. UNFPA emphasized the importance of the National Men Engage Strategy as the foundation for scaling up male engagement across SRHR, GBV prevention and HIV efforts.
UNFPA also highlighted its collaboration with RRP+ in developing a dedicated module to strengthen practical implementation of male engagement, and called for stronger mobilisation of local actors and frontline service providers.
Evidence from MOH and RBC: Where Rwanda Stands
The Ministry of Health and Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) presented a national situation analysis on engaging men and boys in youth SRHR and HIV prevention. The presentation highlighted achievements as well as structural weaknesses that must be addressed to scale impact.
Key challenges included insufficient data systems to track male engagement indicators, variable capacity of service providers to deliver gender-transformative programming, and limited integration of male engagement within school and community services.
At the same time, strong opportunities were identified, including Rwanda’s enabling policy environment, existing national commitments to gender equality, and the potential of digital platforms, peer networks, and youth clubs to reach boys and young men more effectively.
Learning from the Field: Panel Reflections
The panel discussion on “Strengthening Male Engagement for Gender Equality, SRHR, and HIV Prevention” brought community-level realities to the centre of the conversation.
Impanuro Girls Initiative shared their experience in creating safe spaces for boys to reflect on SRHR and harmful norms, while engaging influential community actors to break silence around sensitive issues.
RICH, representing faith-based organisations, described their work in training religious leaders and heads of families on HIV, SRHR and male engagement, highlighting the power of faith communities in shaping positive attitudes.
UNAIDS offered a global lens, underscoring the lack of reliable data on how men and boys experience SRHR and HIV-related vulnerabilities. They called for non-judgmental, male-friendly health services and challenged stakeholders to constantly ask, “Where are the men?” in national and local programming.
Youth at the Centre: Launch of the Y4C Module
A defining moment of the National Round Table on Male Engagement in SRHR, GBV and HIV Prevention was the official launch of the Y4C (Youth for Change) Male Engagement Training Module.
Youth who participated in the pilot testing shared their experiences, underlining how the module resonates with the realities of boys and young men. The module was presented not only as a training tool, but as a national resource for transforming attitudes, behaviours and community norms.
The round table marked the beginning of the national endorsement process for the Y4C module, reinforcing commitment to institutionalising male engagement approaches in Rwanda.
A Landmark Announcement: The Publication of the National Men Engage Strategy
In the official closing remarks, the Director General of MIGEPROF made a landmark announcement: Rwanda has now officially published the National Men Engage Strategy.
This announcement was widely welcomed as a historic milestone. The strategy provides a national framework for integrating meaningful male engagement into SRHR, GBV prevention and HIV response, moving Rwanda from isolated interventions to a coordinated, policy-driven approach.
The Director General emphasized that the publication of the strategy sends a strong political signal that men and boys are no longer peripheral to gender equality efforts, but central actors in achieving sustainable national development.
From Dialogue to Action: Key Outcomes of the Round Table
Participants reached a shared commitment around four strategic priorities:
Strengthening early childhood and community-based value education to shift harmful norms from the earliest stages of life.
Expanding targeted outreach to men and boys through schools, workplaces and community platforms.
Promoting catalytic, resource-efficient interventions that deliver high impact and long-term sustainability.
Enhancing coordination among stakeholders to reduce fragmentation and strengthen national coherence in male engagement.
RWAMREC’s Commitment
As RWAMREC, we reaffirm our commitment to champion the National Round Table on Male Engagement in SRHR, GBV and HIV Prevention outcomes and to work closely with government institutions, UN agencies, youth movements and civil society to translate national frameworks into real change in communities and families across Rwanda.
This round table marked not an end, but a beginning — a collective step towards a Rwanda where men and boys are empowered allies in building safe, healthy and equitable societies.
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