Rwanda: Promotion Mission, 2004

A delegation from the African Commission, led by Commissioner Mohamed Abdellahi Ould Babana, responsible for Rwanda within the African Commission undertook a promotional mission to Rwanda from 26 January to 2 February 2004.

Recommendations

to the Rwandan government

1. Take the necessary measures or strengthen those already in place for the implementation of the general plan for poverty alleviation adopted by Rwanda;
2. In this regard, accelerate the regionalization process to ensure the participation of the population;
3. In parallel with the implementation of this general plan, take measures for the strengthening of remunerative activities of women as well as for the training and enrolment in schools of girls;
4. Implement in 2005 the project to enroll of 95% of children of school going age;
5. Ensure the follow-up and reinforcement of the measures already taken in the fight against HIV/AIDS;
6. Take appropriate and urgent measures to put an end to the rape phenomenon, notably the rape of small girls;
7. Take measures to improve the living conditions in detention centers;
8. Ratify the Protocol relative to the Rights of Women in Africa and work towards establishing relations of cooperation with the African Commission and the NGOs for the establishment of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights;
9. Encourage the emergence of political pluralism;
10. Embark on negotiations with the neighboring States to guarantee the free settlement of Rwandan refugees on their territory, this in order to better guarantee stability in Rwanda.

to civil society organisations

1. Apply for Observer Status with the African Commission in order to better contribute to the promotion and protection of human rights;
2. Gather data on human rights issues and make it available to the Government and African Commission for appropriate action;
3. Maintain and strengthen cooperation with the African Commission and the Government with regard to the promotion and protection of human rights;
4. Promote knowledge and vulgarization of the African Charter and pressure the Government to respect its obligations under the African Charter;
5. Build exchange networks of information.

to the African Commission

1. Pay more attention to relations of cooperation with Rwanda in order to better understand the human rights situation in this country; and intensify the fielding of promotional missions there towards this end;
2. Provide the African Union with all the necessary information for a better understanding of the human rights situation in Rwanda generally and of the issue of Rwandan refugees in particular;
3. Request the African Union and the international community to support the fight against poverty embarked upon by Rwanda;
4. Request the African Union to intensify its efforts with the States in the Great Lakes region to make them contribute effectively to the consolidation of the peace process in their territories and in the sub-region.