Law 59 on Prevention and Punishment of Gender-Based Violence (2008)
National Policy Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) 2011
The law determining offenses and penalties (2018, amended in 2023)
Law 59 on Prevention and Punishment of Gender-Based Violence (2008), art 24
Labour law 2018, article 8
The law determining offenses and penalties (2018, amended in 2023). Article 5 and 19 of the law n°59/2008 of 10/09/2008 on prevention and punishment of gender-based violence provide punishment for “conjugal rape”. However, a lesser penalty for “conjugal rape” is provided under article 19 of Law No. 59/2008 on the prevention and punishment of gender-based violence, than that for the crime of rape under article 134 of Law No. 68/2018 on offences and penalties in general.
Family law 2024
However, 18 may also accepted subject to reasonable grounds.
Family Law, article 197
However, 18 may also accepted subject to reasonable grounds.
Family Law, article 197
Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF): is the primary government body responsible for promoting gender equality and protecting the rights of women and families in Rwanda. It oversees policies and programs related to gender-based violence (GBV) and supports survivors of violence.
Rwanda Gender Monitoring Office (GMO): The GMO is mandated to monitor the respect of Gender Equality principles, promote gender accountability at all levels and fight against Gender-Based Violence and related injustices.
GBV units and desks are available in the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), which is charged with crime investigation, and in the National Public Prosecution Authority (NPPA), which prosecutes cases before Courts.
Number of GBV cases prosecuted and pronounced from July 2019 through June 2023
There are 3 main organizations providing legal aid services (Legal Aid Forum, Rwanda Bar Association, HAGURUKA). In addition, Government-established Access to Justice Bureaus (Maison d’Accèss a la Justice – MAJ) at the district level (providing services to 2,219 women between 2019 and 2022.
The Rwanda National Police collects administrative data on police responses and services provided to women survivors of violence.
The Rwanda National Police established Gender Desks in police stations across the country handling GBV cases.
Rwanda has a standardized curriculum to train law enforcement professionals to respond effectively to incidents of violence against women and girls. This training is part of the country's broader strategy to combat gender-based violence (GBV).
Also, the Government of Rwanda through the Ministry of Justice and its partners, organize yearly capacity-building sessions for all Abunzi committees across the country.
Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) also organizes consistently capacity building interventions to different GBV service providers.
The Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion in collaboration with Rwanda Investigation Bureau have established a GBVIMS to track and record GBV data especially in the Isange One stop Centers.
48 Isange One Stop Centres, 4 GBV shelters run by Government, 4 shelters run by Haguruka, 17 safe spaces across 7 districts (run by Rwanda Women's Network, several GBV Helplines have been put in place by different institutions (including 3512 and 3029).
Number of victims of GBV and child abuse supported in IOSCs since 2019
The Ministry of Health is responsible for collecting administrative data on health, including data on health services provided to GBV survivors
Number of GBV victims reported to the health facilities between 2021-2022. Of these 51% were victims of sexual violence, 40% were victims of physical violence and of all victims 44% were under 18 years of age.
