Initiatives for Peace and Human Rights

03/08/2026

03/08/2026

FROM BOARDROOMS TO CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES: TAKING JUSTICE REFORM CLOSER TO THE PEOPLE

Almost four years after Rwanda adopted its new Criminal Justice Policy, important discussions have taken place in meeting rooms, conferences and roundtables. These engagements have been necessary to build institutional understanding and ownership.

But a policy achieves its real purpose when the people who need it understand it and can make informed use of the opportunities it provides.

That is why iPeace, in partnership with the Rwanda Correctional Service (RCS), has embarked on a wide awareness campaign on Plea Bargaining and Victim–Offender Mediation, beginning with Huye Correctional Facility on 30 July and Nyamagabe Correctional Facility on 31 July 2026.

At Huye, the campaign reached more than 13,243 inmates, bringing together key actors from the courts, prosecution, RIB, Rwanda National Police and our partners. At Nyamagabe, another 2,222 women inmates participated in the campaign.

These are precisely the people who need to understand these mechanisms. For an inmate, plea bargaining or victim–offender mediation is not simply a subject for a legal seminar. It may have very practical implications for accountability, reconciliation, the handling of a criminal case and ultimately reintegration into society.

After years of policy dialogue and institutional engagement, it is time to complement the work taking place in offices and boardrooms with sustained awareness on the ground.

Justice reform must not only be discussed. It must be understood by the people whose lives it is intended to change.

11/05/2026

Justice where it matters most. ⚖️🌍

From market spaces to hillside communities, Initiatives for Peace and Human Rights is back on the ground — bringing free legal aid directly to the people.

📍 Through our mobile legal clinics, we are:
• Listening to real community challenges
• Providing legal advice and court support
• Empowering citizens to claim their rights

In just one month:
✨ 2,803 people reached
✨ 755 received free legal aid
✨ 67% supported through mobile clinics
✨ 96% of beneficiaries in rural areas

Because access to justice should never depend on where you live.

This is what impact looks like. This is iPeace.

16/04/2026

When legal resources are scarce, women are often disproportionately affected and encounter unique barriers to securing justice. iPeace's March data reflects a deliberate effort to address this disparity: 56% of those receiving free legal aid were women. This commitment ensures that vital legal services are directly accessible to a significant demographic that often struggles to access them, providing critical representation in cases of violent offenses and other serious issues. More details below.

17/12/2025

10/12/2025

📢 Ending GBV Requires More Than 16 Days — It Requires Daily Commitment

As we conclude the 2025 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, our November SGBV data is a powerful reminder that this work cannot stop with the campaign.

In just one month, iPeace received 49 cases of SGBV, with 69% of survivors being women and 80% coming from rural communities, where access to justice remains deeply limited. Survivors come from all age brackets, with a significant concentration among those aged 36–50, showing that SGBV affects individuals across the lifespan and demands age-responsive interventions.

One of the most alarming trends is the prevalence of economic violence, which accounted for 61% of all SGBV cases. Economic abuse continues to trap many survivors in cycles of dependency, fear, and silence. Empowering women means ensuring not only their physical safety, but also their economic freedom and dignity.

This year’s campaign may be ending, but our commitment is not.
At iPeace, we will continue expanding outreach, strengthening legal aid services, and advocating for survivor-centered justice systems — especially in remote and underserved areas.

Every statistic is a human story. Every survivor deserves protection, dignity, and justice.
Let’s keep the momentum alive beyond these 16 days and work together toward a Rwanda where gender-based violence has no place.

🧡 Together, we rise until GBV ends.

’sRights

09/12/2025

On this second-to-last day of the 16 Days of Activism, we address a reality too many women face in silence: Digital abuse is often committed by someone they know and once trusted.

These are not anonymous hackers or distant trolls — they are partners, ex-partners, friends, colleagues, or acquaintances who misuse technology to monitor, threaten, humiliate, or silence their victims.
And because these relationships are personal, the harm is deeper, the fear is stronger, and the barriers to seeking help are greater.

Ending digital violence requires more than awareness. It requires:
✨ Conversations within families and communities
✨ Accountability for perpetrators, including intimate partners
✨ Safe reporting channels for survivors
✨ Stronger laws and digital literacy for women and girls
✨ A collective culture that refuses to normalise online harassment

As the campaign nears its close, let’s commit to sustained action beyond these 16 days.

Every woman and girl deserves safety — at home, in public, and online.

If you or someone you know needs free legal support, call 8800.

hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag

08/12/2025

As we observe the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, our November 2025 Legal Aid Factsheet highlights both progress and ongoing challenges in ensuring justice for vulnerable communities across Rwanda.

In November 2025, 7,077 people were reached, with 394 individuals receiving dedicated legal aid services across 128 villages. Behind these numbers are real stories of resilience — and real evidence of persistent inequalities.

One figure stands out powerfully: 13% of all cases handled involved Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).

Despite the courage of survivors who come forward, many still face barriers rooted in stigma, fear, or limited access to justice — especially in rural areas where 91% of our beneficiaries live.

Our teams continue to provide:
- Mobile legal aid clinics reaching remote communities (45% of all cases)
- Support to navigate IECMS (sought by 70% of legal aid recipients)
- Court representation, especially for vulnerable and low-income clients

As we share this month’s data, we reinforce our commitment to breaking the cycle of violence and empowering survivors through accessible, responsive, and rights-based justice services.

Let’s continue raising our voices.
Let’s continue standing with survivors.

hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag