The Commission for Justice and Peace of the Catholic Church in Rwanda and the Anglican Church have launched a campaign to combat sexual violence

Following a partnership to promote justice and peace between the Catholic Church and the Anglican Church in Rwanda, launched in 2017, The Commission for Justice and Peace of Catholic Bishops in Rwanda(CEJP) and the Anglican Church in Rwanda have launched a campaign to combat sexual violence that will be carried out in various parishes of the Catholic and Anglican Church in Rwanda and through different media including Radio Mary Rwanda.

In an interview with Kinyamateka on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, Ms. Uwimana Therese, who is responsible for the implementation of the project to combat sexual violence in the Commission on Justice and Peace of Catholic Bishops in Rwanda, said that after observing the issue of sexual violence in the world and in Rwanda and the way it is inadequately handled, they decided to work with the Anglican Church, and developed a broader approach to reach many places and many people to teach how this violence can be eradicated.

In this campaign, which began in March 2023 and will end in December 2023, a variety of topics will be discussed and experts will invited to discuss different issues according to the schedule set into place.

The topics to be discussed in this campaign are as follows:

The role of the Church in combating sexual violence, will be highlighted by what the Bible says about sexual violence, religious activities aimed at promoting gender equality, and the role of believers in combating sexual violence.

Family: Sexual violence will be born out of the family, its causes and causes to create a family that comes to sexual violence, a well-being and safe society.

Youth: There will be talk of sexual violence among young people, the causes of youth violence, where this sexual violence in young people is taking place, and how to deal with it and punish those who do.

Victims: There will be talk of the way the victim goes through to identify sexual violence, the types of violence that are common, and the effects of this health abuse.

Society: There will be talk of sexual violence in the wider community, a form of violence that is often seen, and what can be done to prevent this violence from leaving the wider community.

Schools: Discussions will be held on school activities in the fight against sexual violence, form of  sexual violence in schools, and the education of students in order to eradicate sexual violence.

Gender: There will be an overview of the true meaning of the word gender, how people understand it, the wrong interpretation that can be the root cause of sexual violence in the family.

Culture: Cultural issues are sometimes referred to as one of the reasons of sexual violence. Examples of words and cultural activities that are characterized by sexual violence, what can be done to ensure that culture is not the root cause of this violence, and the role of cultural institutions in combating sexual violence.

The legal dispositions for the crime of sexual violence will also be discussed and highlighted.

Mss. Uwimana Therese Encourage everyone to participate in this campaign and using it as an opportunity to come out of the issue of sexual violence.

MANIRAGABA Emmanuel