Rwanda Peace Academy launches course on Human Rights

A team of around 27 commissioners and staff members of the National Commission for Human Rights commenced a course on human rights monitoring, investigations and reporting at the Rwanda Peace Academy in Musanze District on May 27.

According to the officials, the course is being conducted under the auspices of the United Nations. The five-day course seeks to develop the commission’s protection mechanism and investigation techniques of human rights violations.

The United Nations advisor on human rights, Chris Mburu opined during the launch that the course was vital given that National Commission for Human Rights will benefit from the expertise of the United Nations facilitators in a bid to conduct an evaluation of the human rights situation in the country.

“At this training, the UN will provide support in terms of expertise on the investigation, monitoring, fact-finding and reporting on human rights issues,” Chris Mburu said. “The idea is to ensure that the commission is fully empowered, fully strengthened and given full capacity to be able to evaluate the human rights situation in the country and be able to provide the guidance to the government on areas that need to be improved and where violations have occurred for government to know and to take remedial measures,” he added.

The Chairperson of National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR), Madeleine Nirere expressed that the commission has been focusing on strengthening its capacities and ensuring that its works reflect the aspirations of the country and rooted in international norms and standards of human rights, as reported by The New Times.

“A refresher course is a reminder that indeed, we cannot slow the momentum we have gained within the commission,” she said.

“Given the enormous task that we have, we need to be able to discharge our mandate with a high degree of enthusiasm and professionalism but also with a higher level of responsiveness,” she added.

Also Read: National campaign unveiled in Rwanda to improve educational quality