Strengthening Justice for GBV Victims in Nyagatare District

On 16th, October, The Center for Justice and Advocacy at Certa Foundation, in collaboration with The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation, conducted a capacity-building training for justice actors in Nyagatare District. The training focused on strengthening knowledge and skills related to laws protecting GBV victims’ rights, trauma-informed interviewing techniques, evidence collection, and referral mechanisms.

The training was officially opened by the Gender and Family Promotion Officer, Bugingo Monique, who commended Certa Foundation and other partners for their continued efforts in ensuring justice for GBV victims.

Ms. GRACE AJENEZA, Legal Case Manager at Certa Foundation, facilitated the training. She began by thanking Nyagatare District and the participating justice actors for their collaboration, and elaborated on various laws protecting GBV victims’ rights, including the Constitution of the Republic of Rwanda (2023), the GBV Law, and the 2012 Ministerial Order outlining modalities for preventing and responding to gender-based violence.

She further explained key techniques for conducting trauma-informed interviews and handling sensitive cases with care, emphasizing that victims often experience multiple forms of trauma. She highlighted the importance of confidentiality in referral processes, noting that this significantly enhances victims’ access to justice.

Participants actively shared their field experiences, discussing both the challenges faced in handling sensitive cases and the effective practices that have proven successful in their work.

The session was officially closed by Mukundwa Emmanuel, Director of Good Governance, who thanked all participants for their active engagement and commended Certa Foundation for its continued contribution to building the capacity of justice actors, providing legal assistance and representation, and raising awareness to promote access to justice for GBV victims.

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