Stopping Gender-Based Violence

1"Girls should stay at home"

Ishimwe's older cousin says, "Why does my sister go to school? Girls should stay at home and cook." Ishimwe frowns. "That's not fair," he says. "My sister wants to be a doctor. Girls and boys have the same right to go to school." His grandfather nods. "Well said. Nobody should be treated badly because she is a girl or because he is a boy."

2What is gender-based violence?

Gender is about being a girl or a boy, a woman or a man, and the ideas people have about how each should behave.

Gender-based violence (GBV) is any act that harms a person's body, feelings, property or chances in life because she is a girl or a woman, or because he is a boy or a man.

Examples of GBV

• Beating a wife or a husband.
• Stopping a girl from going to school just because she is a girl.
• Insulting or bullying someone because she is a girl or he is a boy.
• Taking away someone's money or land because she is a woman.
• Forcing a child to marry. This is against the law in Rwanda.
• Sexual abuse of girls or boys is also a form of gender-based violence.

3The effects of GBV and sexual abuse

4How to prevent GBV and sexual abuse

• Treat girls and boys equally at home and at school. Share the chores.
• Walk to school in a group, and avoid lonely places, especially after dark.
• Never accept gifts, money or lifts from anyone who asks you to keep a secret or to do something that makes you uncomfortable.
• Say NO to anyone who wants to touch you in a bad way, GO away, and TELL a trusted adult.
• Report GBV: call 3512 for gender-based violence, or 116 for child abuse. Both are free.

5What the holy books teach

Christianity and Islam both teach that men and women are created by God with equal dignity.

Try it yourself