Rwanda

Teens gathered at Islamic Center Nyamirambo, a city suburb for a one day Anti-AIDS competition organised by the international organisation Right to Play on Tuesday, asked their parents to talk about issues surrounding HIV/AIDS in their homes.

Teens that spoke to The New Times yesterday say that one of the reasons HIV/AIDS is still high among youth is that parents shy from speaking to their children about relationships and the pandemic.

"Few of us have tried to join and form anti-AIDS clubs at our schools but those are disadvantaged because most parents don't want to talk about relationships, issues surrounding sexuality," Moses Habimana, a student a from Ecole secondary de Kanombe, said at the competition venue.

Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) Chief of General Staff, General James Kabarebe, signed on to UNIFEM's Say NO to Violence against Women campaign as he officially launched the Gender Desk within the Ministry of Defence on 11 August 2008.

"The Rwanda Defence Force shall not spare any effort in as far as fighting gender-based violence and violence against women is concerned," said General Kabarebe. "We shall work to enhance the existing partnership with UNIFEM and collaborate with other institutions and organizations to ensure success."

The Gender Desk, now fully operational with dedicated staff and new equipment, is a component of the RDF's programme to combat sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) both in Rwanda and within its peacekeeping missions.

In May of 2003, Rwandans ratified a new constitution that requires the participation of women in 30% of decision-making positions. In October of 2003, Rwanda's post-genocide transition officially came to a close with Parliamentary elections. In those elections, Rwandan women earned 49% of seats in Rwanda's new bicameral legislature, through election and appointment. This means that Rwanda has the highest percentage of women in its legislative branch, of any country, anywhere in the world.