UN-Gender Rwanda

Project completed

In line with SDC’s engagement on fighting sexual and gender-based violence and women’s empowerment in the Great Lakes region, the UN-Gender Program will contribute to the efforts of the Government of Rwanda and the UN Agencies in Rwanda to transform commitments to gender equality and women’s empowerment into concrete actions, in particular through awareness raising and capacity building for women and strengthening service providers.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Rwanda
Gender
Employment & economic development
nothemedefined
Women’s equality organisations and institutions
Sexual & gender-based violence
SME development
01.10.2019 - 31.12.2023
CHF  2’000’000
Background Rwanda has made significant gains in improving women’s participation at the political and decision-making levels, as well as reducing gender disparities across several sectors. However, the country is still facing important challenges in economically empowering women and combatting gender-based violence (GBV). The UN Program will contribute to implement gender and women empowerment within the framework of Rwanda’s medium term vision “National Strategy for Transformation 2017-24” and the related “United Nations Development Assistance Plan 2018-2023” (UNDAP). It is the result of an inclusive, consultative and participatory process between national partners, development agencies, and other relevant stakeholders. It will reinforce a multi-disciplinary support comprising legal, psychosocial, health and economic aspects.
Objectives The overall goal of this new Program is to ensure that “Women and girls, especially the most vulnerable, participate in, contribute to and benefit from political, economic and social norms transformation in Rwanda”.
Target groups

Primary target group: women and girls victims of sexual and gender based violence, service providers

Secondary target group: women and girls, men and boys

Medium-term outcomes
  • Women and girls who experience violence receive legal assistance and are fully reintegrated into communities
  • Service providers and communities have strengthened capacities and knowledge to prevent and respond to GBV, violence against children and implement relevant laws and policies
  • Women and girls are economically empowered and increased their resilience, self-esteem and business opportunities
Results

Expected results:  

  • Output 1: Increased awareness among target communities on available SGBV (sexual and gender based violence) services, how to prevent and/or report in a timely manner and how to respond to incidents of SGBV
  • Output 2: Strengthened capacity of relevant institutions and SGBV service providers to handle/respond to SGBV cases including capacity to harmonize and preserve forensic evidence
  • Output 3: Women have enhanced entrepreneurial skills and increased access to finance and markets to leverage business opportunities
  • Output 4: The administrative, political and legal framework to combat SGBV at local and national level is improved and implemented


Results from previous phases:  

This is a new Program of SDC’s Great Lakes cooperation strategy, designed as a contribution to the UNDAP Rwanda focusing on gender-based violence and Women's Empowerment.

The SDC contribution will be managed by UN Women according to a parallel modality and directed to the gender aspects of the UNDAP.


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Credit area Development cooperation
Project partners Contract partner
United Nations Organization (UNO)
  • United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women


Other partners
UN Women
Coordination with other projects and actors

Program implementation under the umbrella of the One UN system using existing UN coordination mechanisms (UN, Government, donors).

A network of civil society organizations for SGBV advocacy and policy dialogue.

Synergies with the SDC Great Lakes project on SGBV-Program psychosocial regional, the SDC employment and income Program and the SDC governance Program – Participation citoyenne et prévention des conflits

Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    2’000’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    1’947’500
Project phases

Phase 1 01.10.2019 - 31.12.2023   (Completed)