Never Again Rwanda from Rwanda
TransConflict is pleased to present the profile of Never Again Rwanda from Rwanda, a member of the Global Coalition for Conflict Transformation.
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Conflict Background |
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Contact Information
- Where – Rwanda (Eastern Africa)
- Website – www.neveragainrwanda.org
- Contact Person – Joseph Nkurunziza
- Email – joseph@neveragainrwanda.org
- Address – Peacebuilding Centre, Kacyiru behind American Embassy, KG 14 Street, B.P. 4969 Kigali, Rwanda
- Other – Facebook
Areas of Expertise
Never Again Rwanda has expertise in a range of areas, including:
Main Aims and Objectives
Never Again Rwanda (NAR) is a human rights and peace-building organization that was established in response to the 1994 Tutsi Genocide. Even as a post-genocide society, divisions continue to exist between young Rwandans. Through participation in clubs and associations as well as various programs and projects, NAR engages with young people’s intellect and ideas, develop their capacity as leaders, and empower them to positively contribute to building sustainable peace in their communities and nation.
Goals:
- 1. To engage youth in decision-making processes within their communities and with key stakeholders and decision makers about governance and rights issues in order to foster a democratic and just society.
- 2. To strengthen the social and economic agency of youth so they can take an active role in development and the establishment of a just, inclusive, and peaceful society.
- 3. To promote mutual understanding, respect, and use of conflict resolution processes among youth in order to build sustainable peace.
- 4. To promote quality research to describe the magnitude, causes, and impact of societal problems and to identify, evaluate and document best practices to address them.
Upholding the Principles of Conflict Transformation
Guided by a vision of a nation where young people are agents of positive change and work together towards unity and sustainable peace, Never Again Rwanda was established to promote constructive exchanges of ideas among youth regarding conflict resolution and peace-building to foster leadership skills.Through debates, public speaking competitions, youth discussion forums, trainings, workshops and radio programs, NAR has been instilling skills and empowering youths’ capacities towards genocide prevention, restorative justice and unity and reconciliation.
In order to engage youth to constructively cope with the past, NAR has been conducting workshops, conferences, and open dialogue on reconciliation, as well as commemoration policies and practices in Rwanda to generate an inclusive commemoration. This complements other efforts of organizing visits to genocide memorial sites to help young people learn and witness what happened during the 1994 genocide.
All of NAR’s initiates aim to provoke societal changes by motivating youth’s perceptions and attitudes. With these efforts, we contribute to transforming Rwandese conflicts, the reconciliation process and the creation of sustainable peace in all communities.
Where and with Whom?
NAR’s programs and projects worked with youth in the districts of Nyagatare, Bugesera, Rwamagana, Kayonza, Ngoma, Kirehe, Ngororero, Rutsiro, Nyabihu, Rubavu, Huye, Gasabo, Kicukiro, and Nyarugenge.NAR’s supportive partners are: USAID, UNDEF (United Nations Fund for Democracy), UN– Habitat, GIZ, Global fund for Children, Rwanda governance Board, Akiba Uhaki foundation and Civil Society Strengthening Project (CSSP)
Main Activities in the Field of Conflict Transformation
1) Governance and Rights Program
- a) Encouraging Active Youth Participation in the Democratic Process – strengthening youth participation in democratic decision-making processes at the national and local level. Activities include a nationally broadcasted radio show, youth discussion forums with government leaders, debate trainings and competitions.
- b) Promoting Democratic and Human Rights Values among Rwandan Youth Project – empowering Rwandan youth to play an active and visible role in the democratic processes, and to understand, promote and defend human rights through a nationally broadcasted radio show and TV programs, human rights trainings and youth discussion forums.
- c) Promotion of Evidence Based Advocacy and Planning Initiatives – increase dialogue between youth in Bugesera District and government officials regarding poverty reduction initiatives and strategies through youth discussion forums and a debate competition.
2) Socio-Economic Development Programme
- a) Youth-Initiated Projects (YIP) – NAR youth members learn and use a step-by-step process for identifying, developing, and implementing a project that positively contributes to the community while building on their own skills and talents as leaders. In addition to receiving training and on-going technical support, NAR youth members can apply for project seed money to futher empower them in carrying out youth-led projects.
- b) Youth-led Urban Development Magazine – In June 2011, Never Again Rwanda launched a quarterly magazine that is researched, written and edited by the youth journalists. The articles document urban development best practices and provide practical tips for youth associations to incorporate these best practices into their activities.
3) Peacebuilding Program
- a) Peacebuilding Institute – During a 2-week Peace-building Institute, Never Again Rwanda brings together 30 Rwandan and International university students in Kigali to answer the question “What can Rwanda teach the world?” Through readings of a shared set of texts, site visits, lectures and group discussions, participants explore themes of genocide, transitional justice, unity, and democracy and develop skills as global citizens in cross-cultural dialogue, critical thinking and analysis of complex issues, and problem solving.
- b) Peacebuilding and Commemoration Project – conduct trainings and workshops for Rwandan youth to constructively deal with the past in the Southern Province and exchange activities with Burundian youth.
4) Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Project
- Never Again Rwanda aims to promote quality research to describe the magnitude, causes, and impact of societal problems and to identify, evaluate, and document best practices to address them. Topics areas of interest include human rights, democracy, justice, socio-economic development, conflict transformation, and peace-building.
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