Refugee women in Rwanda take action to combat Gender Based Violence
Refugee Girls Need You“Talking and sharing our own personal stories helps build a community that can talk about gender-based violence and ultimately ensure its prevention.”
This is the motto of the Ndumwigeme committee in Mahama refugee camp. A women’s committee set up by Ange Niyonkuru, a Burundian refugee who fled her home in 2015, after she saw the extent to which gender-based violence (GBV) was prevalent in her community.
On a mission to break the silence surrounding GBV, Ange explains how women and girls are often fearful to report their experiences due to embarrassment and stigma that may occur after speaking up. But how she believes that building trust and creating safe spaces can help combat it.
“Gaining the trust of the community is important. People may see refugee women who experience violence as weak victims or blame them for what happened, but that must change. Because victims are often hopeless, but survivors are hopeful.” Ange comments.
As part of her work, Ange and the Ndumwigeme committee work closely with UNHCR, Save the Children and other partners in the camp to break down barriers around GBV.
