A delegation from the Africa UNiTE Kenya, visited Isange One stop Centre situated at the Police Hospital in Kacyiru, and commended the achievements registered by the centre in responding to Gender Based Violence (GBV) issues.
The delegation composed of officials from Gender Commission, civil society, and UN women, is in the country for a five-day study tour aimed at learning from the Rwanda’s approaches and initiatives to address GBV.
The Africa UNiTE Kenya raises public awareness, stimulate behavior change, coordination for prevention activities and increase political will and resources to respond to national issues related to prevention of violence against women and girls; promotion of justice and ending impunity; and provision of services to survivors of violence.
At RNP, the activists were received by Chief Inspector of Police, ShafigaMurebwayire, the coordinator of Isange One Stop Centre at Kacyiru Police Hospital (KPH), who briefed them on how the center operates and different services officers to GBV victims.
Addressing the press shortly after the visit, the head of the delegation, Grace WangechiKahuria, the UN Women programme analyst for GBV in Kenya, said the purpose of their visit is to learn from Rwanda’s best practices in the area of preventing GBV.
“Rwanda is known worldwide for her enormous efforts in fighting GBV. Isange One Stop Centre is one of those initiatives in Rwanda we know about it in Kenya. We have come to this centre to see how it works so that we can look into way of initiating the same modal back in Kenya,” said Kahuria.
“We have seen a very high political will in Rwanda, their commitment in terms of bringing together all sectors in the campaign against GBV is highly commendable. From Rwanda’s experience, we have realized that cooperation among different players is very key in the quest for registering significant results in the fight against GBV,” noted Kahuria, adding that other African countries have a big lesson they can learn from Rwanda.
Isange One Stop Centre was established in 2009 with the support of the First Lady and One UN. Isange model has provisions for emergency contraception, HIV prophylaxis, Sexual Transmission Infections (STI) prevention and other medications.
The centre also provides free referral and specialized services like medico-legal, gynecology and obstetrics, mental health, legal and investigation, psychosocial, safe room and social integration services to victims of GBV and child abuse.
Part of the package patients and beneficiaries of the center receive include, basic services like feeding, clothing and shelter.
Since its inception, the Isange One Stop Center, which has become a regional center of excellence, has received over 10, 000 cases, majority related to sexual and gender violence.
The centre scooped the United Nations Public Service Award (UNPSA) 2012 for its efforts in fighting Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV).
The award dubbed “Promoting Gender Responsive Delivery” of Public Services was in recognition of the success of the Isange. UNPSA is the most prestigious international recognition of excellence in public service.
The centre currently operates in 23 district hospitals as the force continues to scale it up to all hospitals across the country.
The scale up programme is a partnership with Rwanda National Police, the government and development partners.
Apart from Isange One Stop Centre, the visiting delegation also toured other government institutions such as, the Ministry of Gender and Family promotion, National Women Council, Rwanda Women Network, Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre among others.