Author: b_igi_adm1n

Rwanda’s continued gender sensitivity has seen at least 9 female police officers join a contingent of 160 police officers under the Formed Protection Unit (FPU).

The contingent which has left for Jérémie town in southern Haiti will be under the command of Chief Superintendent, Toussaint Muzezayo.

“Rwanda has been ranked first by Department of Peacekeeping Operations(DPKO) in female contributions in UN missions,” Police spokesperson Supt. Theos Badege has said.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched a campaign in August 2009 to lift the percentage of women peacekeepers to 20 percent in police units by 2014, and to 10 percent in military contingents.

It is estimated that only 2.3 percent of the 88,661 military peacekeepers serving in 17 different missions are women, whereas in 2008 they made up 2.18 percent of military contingents.

It has been also reported that approximately 8.2 percent of the 13,221 UN police are women, a figure that jumped from 6.5 percent in April.

In 2000, Resolution 1325 of the UN Security Council called on the Secretary-General to progress on gender mainstreaming throughout peacekeeping missions and all other aspects related to women and girls.

Subsequent Security Council resolutions outlined more comprehensive methods for using peacekeeping missions to protect women and girls from sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict zones, including increasing the number of women peacekeepers.

The first all-female Formed Police Unit (FPU), was deployed in Liberia in 2007, where a significant difference to the women victimized in rampant sexual violence during the country’s civil war was attained.

A five-year campaign to boost the number of UN female peacekeepers was also launched though not many countries have equally involved in realizing the campaign.

Early last year, the United Nations Police Commissioner General, Ann-Marie Orler, visited Rwanda appreciating Rwanda’s gender sensitivity and called upon nations to contribute towards female recruitment or sending to peacekeeping mission.

She announced that the DPKO Police Division had taken up a drive to recruit more female police officers, that targets 20 percent in 2014 from 8 percent 2009, with a long-term goal of having a 50-50 ratio of men to women.

The second Rwandan contingent to Haiti will replace another 160 police officers that were deployed nine months ago, whose mission has ended and expected to be in the country by December 31.

FPUs, among others, provide humanitarian assistance, conduct patrols and guard VIPs and key installations.

Currently, there are 416 police officers on mission in Sudan, Liberia, Ivory Coast and Haiti.

As at October 2011, it was estimated that 1,342 female police officers represented about 9.4% of the total police deployment of 14,239.

This reflected a marginal improvement over the participation of female police in peacekeeping. This improvement also covered participation in FPU.

However, a number of African member states appear to have taken on the challenge of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) on Women, Peace and Security, by deploying all-female contingents.

African examples include Namibian Police Force (31 females in UNAMID), Rwanda (89 in Darfur), Tanzania (25 in Darfur) and Ghana (35 in Darfur).

ENDS

The mayor of Kayonza District John Mugabo has announced that 10,000 people will undergo adult literacy trainings in a period of six months.

The aim is to reduce poverty and giving them basic skills which would also facilitate them in managing small income generating activities.

At least 3 classrooms in every sector will offer lessons on reading, writing and counting numbers supported by Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) that is so far trained 150 teachers on special syllabus.

The executive secretary of southern province Jean-Marie Vianney Makombe commended ADRA’s initiative adding that it is in line with government initiative to alleviate poverty.

“Education is important in improving one’s welfare and also enhances the country’s development,” he said.

Maxime Ngarambe one of the teachers urged those who are illiterate not to feel shy of going to class even though they’re old since the program doesn’t ignore anyone.

“I ask local leaders to help us in the campaign process and encourage those who are defensive of the school because of their inferiority complex,” he remarked.

ENDS

Rwandan prosecutor general Martin Ngoga has announced that the government will file charges against the recently released genocide suspect Callixte Mbarushimana by International Criminal Court (ICC).

According to Ngoga there’re charges he never faced at the Hague based court like the original genocidal cases.

Ngoga says Mbarushimana was tried crimes committed under his command of the FDLR in the volatile east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), in 2009, and not his alleged participation in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

Mbarushimana was released last week after the court concluded that there was no enough evidence in all five counts of crimes against humanity and eight counts of war crimes, including charges of murder, torture, rape, inhumane acts and persecution, and destruction of property.

“We shall definitely press original Genocidal charges. He never faced those charges at the ICC. We said in the past and we so repeat, that, there is no relenting until he faces his day in court,” Prosecutor General Martin Ngoga, said on Monday.

However, Mbarushimana is believed to be a senior member of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) operating in eastern DR Congo, whose fighters were widely believed to be responsible for hundreds of deaths and sexual assaults
He is said to have returned to France where he has a refugee status and worked as a computer specialist.

Rwanda has in the past issued an indictment for his arrest but French authorities paid no heed.

Mbarushimana is believed to have played a role in organizing and executing killings during the 1994 Genocide, where he was a computer technician in the UNDP office in Kigali.

In 2001, a UN investigative team linked Mbarushimana with the murder of 32 people, including Tutsi colleagues at the UNDP.

After closely monitoring the trial at the ICC, Rwandan prosecutors, remain undeterred as they seek to bring him to justice for his alleged involvement in the Genocide.

Mbarushimana was arrested in France last October after the ICC Prosecution issued a warrant for his arrest on five counts of crimes against humanity and eight counts of war crimes, committed by FDLR in DRC.

On October 11, 2010, Mbarushimana was arrested in France, where he had been living as a political refugee since 2003.

On arrival in French capital, Paris, Mbarushimana was taken by police to meet an investigating magistrate who is to notify him of his parole conditions, says the AFP.

Despite ICC charges being dropped, the AFP says he is under investigation in France for his alleged role in the 1994 Genocide, hence the interview with the judge.

ENDS

Hundreds of men have been flocking Gasabo’s Kibagabaga hospital to undergo circumcision for free.

The program which started in June with training, the actual circumcision starting October intends to cover 2 million men by the year 2013.

Kibagabaga Hospital carries circumcision every weekend but this time it carried it on Monday, the boxing day due to Christmas feastive.

Circumcision has been recognized as one of the tools to reduce risks of acquiring HIV.

In 2009, the Minister of Health Dr Agnes Binagwaho published a paper on PLoS Medicine website to show Male Circumcisions (MC) cost effectiveness. It is also said that Binagwaho is a board member PLoS Medicine.

PLoS Medicine is an open-access, peer-reviewed medical journal that publishes outstanding human studies that substantially enhance the understanding of human health worldwide.

According to the paper now on the PLoS medicine website, MC is one of the oldest and most common surgical procedures with approximately 30% of men circumcised worldwide.

While MC is almost universal in North Africa and most of West Africa, it is less common in Southern Africa where HIV prevalence is much higher.

In Rwanda, MC is not a traditional procedure and it is estimated that only about 15% of men are circumcised. Nonetheless, due to the ongoing debate about MC in the country, demand for the service is increasing according to the Ministry of Health.

Conclusive evidence from three randomised control trials conducted in Uganda, Kenya, and South Africa showed that MC reduces the risk of HIV infection by about 55%: 51% in Uganda , 53% in Kenya , and 60% in South Africa.

Studies also report a substantially reduced risk of other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among circumcised men, such as syphilis (summary risk ratio (RR) = 0.67, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.54–0.83) and chancroid (RR 0.12–1.11).

There is also evidence that MC protects against urinary tract infections (RR = 0.13, CI 0.01–2.63) [8]; invasive penile cancer and reduces prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) (adjusted RR 0.65, 95% CI 0.46–0.90; p = 0.009).

Most studies report a reduced risk of gonorrhoea and chlamydia trachomatis infection in female partners Moreover, MC protects against balanitis, posthitis, phimosis, and paraphimosis.

The paper presented by Dr Binagwaho indicate that infant MC, total costs (US$2,250,000) are lower than discounted total savings (US$3,808,523) meaning the intervention is cost-saving.

For adolescents and adults, total costs (US$8,850,000) are higher than total savings, for net costs of US$2,940,180 and US$3,407,951, respectively.

The cost-effectiveness ratio (net cost per infection averted) is US$3,932 and US$4,949 for adolescents and adults, respectively.

The findings from the analysis in Rwanda show that neonatal MC is less expensive than adolescent and adult MC (US$15 instead of US$59 per procedure) and is cost-saving; even though savings from infant circumcision will be realized later in time.

The fact that MC of infants in Rwanda is a cost-saving intervention means that for each MC performed, the government of Rwanda will save money.

Simoni Kanyaruhango who is heading the program through Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC), noted that there’re efforts to enhance the program which for the past four years of its existence hasn’t shown much progress.

“So far we’re equipping all District hospitals countrywide with necessary tools, we also have plans to take similar services in rural areas,”

A report by the Ministry of Health show that only 12% of men were circumcised by the year 2007. Kanyaruhango noted that the idea was to reduce the risks of men acquiring HIV/AIDS and other sexual transmitted diseases.

Also this report shows that 50 to 60% of circumcision men in the region had lesser risks of acquiring HIV/AIDs.

Fabien Kalisa aged 25 was among hundreds of male lining up to undergo the minor surgery done in three theater rooms, decided to be circumcised after learning from one of the RBC campaign.

“I commend the initiative of this hospital in giving out free circumcision since many are reluctant to pay the amount while others don’t fully understand the advantages, the doctor has told us that after seven days I will be fine and ready to get back to work and my genital hygiene will improve too,” he remarked.

Due to the big number of people interested for the free service, the Director of Kibagabaga hospital Christian Ntizimira noted that the exercise intends to end its first phase by February followed by evaluation then continue till 2013.

He says that every weekend between 80 and 90 men are circumcised and that between 300-400 men have been circumcised so far and all operations have been successful, Ntizimira said.

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has killed more than 25 million people since 1981 and more than 31 million people (22 million in sub-Saharan Africa alone) are now infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes AIDS.

ENDS

Kigali City mayor Fidele Ndayisaba has refuted allegations of a ban against overnight parties and concerts that go until break of dawn.
“I didn’t say that. Rwandans should have fun anytime they want.”

In a phone interview, Ndayisaba insisted that during the festive season everyone should enjoy, visit their friends and family and there’s no time limit for celebrations.

“I wish all city dwellers and Rwandans at large a merry Christmas and a happy new year.”

However he cautioned people to party responsibly by avoiding drink driving or engaging in fights, “security will be tight as usual”.

752 youths at Iwawa rehabilitation centre have been presented with certificates after successful completition of training in vocational skills.

The director of Iwawa Nicolas Niyongabo during the Award ceremony announced a profit of Frw75 million accumulated from products made by the youths at the center.

Niyongabo highlighted that some of the courses include farming, construction, carpentry and bee keeping.

He added that the center faces challenges of infrastructure, “we don’t have enough electricity and water.We use charcoal for cooking and our health facilities are substandard.”

In his remarks the minister of youth Protais Mitali urged the graduates to fully utilise skills acquired to improved their welfare and promote the country’s development.

They were urged to avoid indulgence in drug abuse and immoral activities.

Charles Kabanda a parent whose son graduated, commended the center’s performance but added that more improvement is needed especially in improving the curriculum, more workers and better classrooms and toilets.

Saidi Zirarushya one of the graduates noted that for the past two years he has studied at the center and is able to read and write. “i used to be a drug addict from Rubavu district but now I’m reformed.”

Four people died last night on the eve of Christmas succumbing to road accidents, The police spokesman supt. Theos Badege has said.

Among the four death tolls countrywide, included two who died in a motorcycle accident on the road from town to Nyarutarama via Utexrwa textile company near Redcross.

Badege added that also six people were arrested country wide due to reckless driving while drunkard.

While 15 others were also arrested at Muhima police station for over drinking and distabilising their neigbours though they were not driving.

However, Badege says generally the country was safe and at peace through the eve of Christmas.

“I think Rwandan have started knowing and understanding to have discipline in their lives and they really took police warnings seriously,” Badedge said by cell phone.

“This not alarming though, if you compare last weekend’s accidents they are equal to what was recorded last night, so we can’t actually associate it with celebrations,” Badege added.

Police had begun an earlier warning through different media to drivers and the public to have safe celebrations.

Particularly the police warned against sound pollution, over speeding and the like the only issue was the extended traffic jam ciculation.

Though it extended compared to daily hours traffic policemen had been deployed in different joints to assist in the increased traffic that could have been caused by different people going to and coming from shopping for Christmas.

But also partly due to weddings since it was a Saturday that always sees weddings takeoff, traffic jam at Remera, Gipoloso for example almost stretched upto 11:00pm .

According to Badege, all those collective celebrations like concerts took place in the given time, and wedding or home parties made sure that they do it calmly not to interfere in their neighbor’s freedom.

ENDS

US. President Barack Obama Thursday announced $113Million in emergency relief assistance to Horn of Africa.

More than 13 million people are at risk of starvation in this region of Africa including Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti.

The new emergency relief assistance will go for food, health, shelter, water and other needs.

Calling the crisis “urgent,” Obama said in a statement that the additional aid would come on top of the $870 million in assistance the United States has already provided to help countries hit by the worst drought in decades.

“The heartbreaking accounts of lives lost and of those struggling to survive remind us of our common humanity and the need to reach out to people in need,” President Obama said.

“Importantly, and even as we help to meet the emergency needs of the people of this region, we are also investing in their long-term food security,” Obama added.

The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) has urged policymakers to fully involve scientific experts and technocrats in disaster management in efforts to reduce and build resilience against catastrophes.

This follows the recent floods that devastated Dar es Salaam Capital of Tanzania.

The Speaker,Abdirahin Haithar Abdi, said when addressing a UN disaster conference in Geneva early this week that drought currently ravaging the Horn of Africa has long been predicted but nothing has been done to curb its effects.

“This is a clear sign of disparity between scientists and legislators. If meaningful advances in disaster risk reduction (DRR) and disaster management is to be realized, we need to urgently close ranks and begin working together for the betterment of the communities,” he said.

He said Eala would soon call together regional parliaments to share experiences on disaster management and put DRR on the radar. He remarked that disasters were hindering development and that it was time for action.

Parliaments, he noted, must carry out their functions of legislation, oversight, budgeting and representation with more deligence “but must be true ambassadors who are accountable on disaster matters.

On what the East African Community was dealing with the issue,Abdi revealed that the EAC Transboundary Ecosystems Bill 2010 was likely to be brought before the House for its second reading when the Assembly convenes in Kampala, Uganda late next month.

The Bill inter-alia aims at providing a legal framework to streamline management of trans-boundary ecosystems with the view of enhancing quality of environment and ensuring sustainable utilization of shared natural resources.

At the same time, Eala shall look into the possibility and way forward towards finalization of the model legislation on DRR for the EAC region.

Participants at the meeting hailed the parliaments of Uganda and Senegal for the positive progress on the DRR realized.
Both nations have a positive parliamentary fora on DRR, a move termed as positive in efforts to address disaster risks at the high level.

According to a Uganda MP Alex Byarugaba, Uganda has developed and refined its policy on DRR and was headed towards instituting an Act of Parliament which will be the first in the region.

Abdou Sane of the Parliament of Senegal said it was time legislators formed networks consisting of parliamentarians, media, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), citizens and other stakeholders to champion DRR.

“We in the Ecowas (Economic Community of West African States) are contemplating forming networks in each of the 16 member states of the bloc”, he stated.

An MP from Bangladesh Saber Chowdhury termed mapping of disaster prone areas as essential in the universal bid to contain disasters.

He called for a change of mindset by identifying modalities that build resilience and capacities to handle disasters as opposed to relief and reconstruction which, he said, were reactionary and defeatist.

The two day consutative talks in Geneva concluded with a clarion call by the legislators to re-double their efforts in building global resilience of nations and communities to disasters.

The Parliamentarians called for the enactment of legislation on Disaster Management, increase in resources and scale-up of networking and information to shore up DRR in the local, regional and global communities.

The objective of the meeting was to review progress with regards to the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNIDR) initiative on Parliamentarians in disaster risk reduction,exchange views on challenges that Parliamentarians encountered in promoting DRR and identify priorities for the 2012-2013 Action Plan.

Margareta Wahlstrom, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Disaster Reduction reiterated the UN’s support for DRR as key in sustainable and equitable development.

“We are pursuing this important subject on the multilateral agenda of the UN. Business as usual is not an option adding that it was time for re-definition of development to be sensitive to disasters and climate
risks” she said.

The UN Representative further informed Parliamentarians of major forthcoming events including the next World Conference on Disaster Reduction in 2015 and the UN Conference on Sustainable Development where disaster risk was set to take centre stage in the discussions in line with the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA).

The Hyogo Framework is a blueprint adopted by Member States of the UN in 2005 at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction and it aims at building resilience of nations to disasters.