Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (DPOs) and Human rights Organization (HROs) should be active in monitoring and reporting on the rights violations to strengthen the integration of international human rights instruments into national and local policies and planning.
The issue of human rights and the rights of persons with disabilities was the point of discussion on Tuesday August, 4, 2020, at the beginning of a three day training on ‘Human Rights monitoring and reporting organized by the National Union of Persons with Disabilities in Rwanda NUDOR under the project “PROMOTION OF ANTI-DISCRIMINATION PRACTICES OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES” in partnership with CBM Germany with the objective of enabling the Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (DPOs), Human rights Organization (HROs) and marginalized groups to actively monitor the rights violations and discrimination against persons with disabilities and marginalized groups and to strengthen the integration of international human rights instruments into national and local policies and planning.
Opening this training facilitated by the National Commission of Human Rights in Rwanda, Mrs. Eza NKAKA, the vice president of NUDOR said that the training was organized to look at the discrimination of persons with disabilities in Rwanda and call back for the implementation of the “United Nations commission for the rights of persons with disabilities” (UNCRPD) signed by the Rwandan government.
Mrs. Eza NKAKA Vice president of NUDOR
During the training, the facilitator from the National Human rights commission in charge of Human right protection and monitoring officer and focal person for persons with disabilities’ rights Mrs. Marie MUKANDUTIYE said that NCHR has as obligations of Sensitizing the public about Human rights, promoting human rights, follow ups of violated human rights, and called upon participants to be very attentive for the training that can help them to monitor and report on how the rights of people they represent are being respected or not in order to call for change. NCHR facilitator said” We should set in our mind that Human rights are stood up for in order to be recognized world widely”.
Mrs. Marie MUKANDUTIYE / NHCR
Mrs. Brigitte, project manager of the project “promotion of ant-discrimination practices for persons with disabilities in Rwanda” told participants that they should have an overview about universal Human rights in general and on the national level. Additionally, she gave on her turn a detailed information about the official Universal Human rights. Namely; (Bill of rights)
- Universal declaration of human rights,
- Rights to politics,
- Rights to culture…
NCHR facilitator presented on the Basic principles of monitoring, methodologies which consists of Information gathering and interviewing. She explained what domestication is in relation to Human rights practices for persons with disabilities. Moreover she announced that some of the universal human rights have been embraced in the country and had begun to be established as part of the nation’s policies. Besides the fact that these rights have reached the booklets of the nation, they should also start to be implemented to a satisfactory extent.
Recommendations from the audience;
- There should be an improvement in the allocation of people representing commissions in charge of persons of disability in different regions on the local level. Because some are not mindful of their duties and responsibilities.
- NCHR facilitator, Mrs. Marie MUKANDUTIYE requested from NUDOR to organize a visit that aims at doing Human rights monitoring in order to understand and effectively solve the problem of discrimination.
- There should be advocacy to design surveys inclusive of persons with disabilities.
- The local authorities should be accountable of their responsibility to execute the rights entitled to person with disabilities. Like education for all, no one left behind.
- Encouraging persons with disabilities to recognize and stand up for their rights since they are now acknowledged at the national level and help other fellow Rwandan citizens to become familiar with these rights and respond accordingly.
- Marie MUKANDUTIYE highlighted that it important that the source of information is kept closely for an effective
Monitoring.
Closing the first day Cession Mrs. Brigitte MUREKATETE, project manager promised participants that they will be given CDS and Books for them to understand more and reflect better of Human rights monitoring for persons with disabilities in Rwanda apart from the training they had be attended.
Participants appreciated the training with one of them Mr. Remy, The Vice president of Organization for the Integration and Promotion of People with Albinism (OIPPA) said he is thankful for the training because “there were still some confusions and lack of knowledge on practices for persons with disabilities in Rwanda.”
