HUMAN RIGHTS KEEPERS ASSOCIATION Increasing human rights awareness in Rwandan high schools project. By Olivier TUYISABE ( The secretary of HRKA)

HUMAN RIGHTS KEEPERS ASSOCITION IS A NON-PROFIT, LOCAL NON- GOVERNEMENTAL ORGANISATION, FOUNDED BY YOUTH FOR YOUTH, WHICH AIMS AT PROMOTING AND EMPOWERING HUMAN RIGHTS AWARENESS IN RWANDAN YOUTH OUR VISION: THROUGH EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY, RWANDAN YOUTH ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN UP HOLDING DIGNITY AND SENSITIZATION IN THEIR COMMUNITIES

The Rwanda US –Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission handling a certificate of appreciation to Mr. Gerald BAHENDA(former vice-president of HRKA)during the official launch of the project

PROJECT DESCRIPTION The project consists of promoting the human rights in youth through the creation of human rights clubs in order to empower them to share human rights concepts in their communities. The project parterners were: Rwanda US Embassy, Rwanda national commission for human rights, and HAGURUKA. The project was conducted in five high schools located in five provinces of Rwanda; Sonrise High school in Northern Province, Ecole de Science de Gisenyi from Eastern Province, College du Christ-roi de Nyanza from Southern Province, College Saint Andre from Kigali City, and Ecole saint Kizito de Musha From Eastern Province Every club comprised of 30 students (between ages 12 and 20) Club members were first empowered through workshops lectured by human rights experts from HAGURUKA and Rwanda National Commission for Human Rights, and later events and discussions were organised about human rights in their respective schools.

Students from ESA Gisenyi during the launch of the human rights club at their school in October 2011

PROJECT DESCRIPTION Program was conducted in three phases: -Creation of clubs and launching of the project:At this stage the team of implementers, and partners went to selected schools and met students and school officials to select interested members of clubs and plan for the kick-off.

A team of HRKA members giving details to ESA Gisenyi students during the creation of the human rights club

PROJECT DESCRIPTION More focus were put on  Universal human rights  Women rights  Children rights with particular emphasis on girl’s right to inheritance.

Other phases -Workshops: - Initial workshop: After clubs are created, a workshop was carried out. Club members in each school met with the project implementers and received resource materials on human rights. They were asked to host events and discussions in their schools. Second workshop: was conducted after six months, it provided members additional knowledge on human rights and an opportunity to share experiences and best practices from the first six months

A human rights expert form HAGURUKA speaking to Sonrise high school club members during the workshop

Other phases Contests I will stand on my rights were the theme of the contests. Participants were students from schools which hosted the clubs. The contest were conducted in 2 phases: school level, and national level. In this contest, students composed songs, poems and sketches about the theme.

Students from ESA Gisenyi acting out their sketch during the national contest.

PROJECT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Youth are seen as dynamic agents of changes in attitudes towards human rights. By empowering them through this project we aim at sensitizing youth in high school so that they can be active in transforming schools and the communities at large into human right violation free environments. There are still cases of gender based violence reported; girls denied equal rights as their brothers, domestic violences. We expect to see them reduced by the influence of young people, starting from their schools and families

INNOVATION Presently, almost all seminars, workshops and other awareness campaigns are organized by either adults. This is done by the youth and for the youth, We believe that this fact will make more positive impact on human rights awareness in youth. The project reaches a wide audience ; The schools are big communities composed of students from diversified places and local communities. we believe that by giving youth an opportunity to learn and discuss human rights concepts is a vigorous way of seeding a bright future, an environment free of violation of human rights. Moreover, the use of songs and films, paired with workshops, will be effective as the majority of the audience is the youth

On the front line; guests, backwards there are students club members who participated in the project

Outcomes At least 3000 people; all partnered high schools community members had an opportunity to hear about human rights, by attending workshops or through human rights club members, and we believe that it may reach more people in the students local communities. Five dynamic human rights clubs with 150 members were established, they are now serving as both change agent and models to teenagers in their schools and communities

THANK YOU! Contact us: Phone number: (+250)