More than two decades after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, Rwanda continues to experience high levels of trauma, particularly amongst Genocide survivors. Simultaneously, several genocide prisoners have been released, as well as more than 20000 prisoners to be released over the next four years. Their return into society is likely to lead to an increase in levels of anxiety and other mental and psycho-social problems amongst survivors and others- including immediate families of these ex-prisoners, directly impacting the work being done to foster social cohesion and reconciliation across communities in Rwanda. This is also aggravated by several other risk factors including emotional and substance abuse, sexual and gender-based violence, family conflicts, social tensions, livelihood challenges, and intergenerational transmission of genocide legacies.
In response to this reality, Interpeace and its local partners, including Prison Fellowship Rwanda (PFR), Dignity in Detention Organization (DIDE) and HAGURUKA are implementing a programme entitled: ‘’Reinforcing community capacity for social cohesion and reconciliation through Societal Trauma Healing.” This innovative initiative offers a holistic approach to simultaneously address mental health, promote social cohesion, and stimulate sustainable collaborative livelihoods of individuals and communities.
The programme provides safe spaces for dialogue, healing, and capacity strengthening of existing formal l mental health structures and local societal healing practitioners to strengthen a comprehensive and community-based mental health and psycho-social support system.
Our programme aims to contribute to the consolidation of a peaceful, resilient, and an inclusive Rwandan society that is enabled to overcome the wounds of the past, peacefully manage conflicts and diversity, collectively and inclusively strengthen livelihood resilience, and is empowered to influence policies that are responsive to citizen priorities. This goal is implemented through three axes: mental health, social cohesion, and sustainable collaborative livelihoods. Gender, climate resilience, and conflict sensitiveness aspects are also integrated as cross-cutting issues across the three axes.
For more information about the Rwanda country-programme, please contact the country representative.
KG 2 Ave, 15 Kigali, Rwanda
Each and everyone of us can play a role in building lasting peace.
Keep up-to-date with the latest news and stories from Interpeace. Our newsletter includes poignant insights and latest news from our peacebuilding work.
The Peace Talks is an initiative that showcases the inspirational stories of people making a positive contribution to peace.
Get involved on our social media pages and get the latest news about our peacebuilding programmes.
Interpeace works in over 15 countries around the world. Learn about our upcoming events and register to attend.
