Reintegrated children to receive free medication, treatment and for those with chronic diseases like HIV/AIDS as well as disabilities, counseling and other related assistance will be provided at no cost. This was revealed by the Director of Gisenyi Hospital; Major Dr. William Kanyankore while attending a one day meeting that took place on 19th August, 2013.
Whereas the Vice Mayor in charge of Social Affairs in Rubavu District said that parents will be assisted from the time a mother is pregnant through delivery period. “Such will help in breaking the cycle of children abandonment. Children of families living in poverty may benefit from quality child care or preschool settings, such as Early Childhood Development Centers”, said the Vice Mayor in the official opening of the meeting. She explained that these center-based programs can offer the parent respite from child care and teach the child communication and problem-solving skills that may buffer the child from some effects of abandonment.
Also programs that promote a positive and responsive parent-child relationship are desirable as prevention and intervention strategies to eliminate child abandonment. This was highlighted by the Vicar of Nyondo Diocese JMV Nsengumuremyi in a meeting that brought together local authorities and other organizations engaged in child reintegration program. Of recent Rubavu District has been characterized by children abandonment in that within one week three children were abandoned by their biological mothers. Such inhuman act took place in the month of August 2013, where one parent left a baby of four days at a stranger’s doorstep when no one was at home. Another child was half buried by a mother after delivery whereas a third child of 2 months was abandoned near orphelent de Nyundo.
When asked why she half buried her newborn baby, Nyiramategeko Beatrice replied that she was scared of how she was to approach her mother with a fatherless baby. “The father of my child was a casual labourer in Rubavu trading centre but when I told him that I was pregnant, he denied it and decided to shift to Rwandamagana. I live with my mother and I was ashamed of taking the baby at home to mother because she looks after my first born and now I have a second child still with no father responsible,” said Nyiramategeko. Nyiramategeko is a 20 year old mother of two children; she survives on doing casual jobs like carrying luggage of traders at Congo-Rwanda boarder post. The legal definition of child abandonment is when a child is left unattended without proper care, feeding, shelter and attention to basic needs. According to Rwandan law child abandonment is punishable between three months to 7 years depending on the category of the offence.
Commenting on the problem of children abandonment, the Vicar of Nyondo Diocese JMV Nsengumuremyi a diocese that established Nyondo Orphanage explained that, “people love simplified life, reason to why fathers tend to take their children to orphanages after a mother dies, whereas single mothers take their children to orphanages because they expect to receive free care as they don’t want to struggle. Secondly, people are resistant to change therefore; much effort of all parties involved is needed to break the cycle of child abandonment”.
According to National survey on institutional care (2011-2012), institutionalization is most damaging particularly to children under three years and during the first three years of their stay in the institution, yet 11% of children currently living in institutions are under 3years of age and 37.5% of the children are aged between 0-3 years at the time when they were placed into institutions.
Furthermore, 859 young people aged over 18 years, representing over one quarter (25.9%) of the total population of the institutions, are still living in institutions, many of whom are aged between 20 and 43years. This very large number of young adults living in children’s institutions is alarming and indicates a lack of preparation and support for young adults to leave institutions and become independent.
Participants resolved that skilled, coordinated and resourceful community based child care volunteers should be established to assist in follow up of pregnant mothers as well as educate households on positive parenting. In this case, mothers who are likely to abandon their babies can be detected at an early stage and be taken care of.
Protecting Children through Advocacy
National Commission for Children (NCC) as an institution in charge of child rights protection focuses on child concerns and welfare aim to create an environment that protects child rights. According to NCC Executive Secretary, Ms Zaina Nyiramatama, the NCC purpose is to rebuild and create encouraging ownership of alternative child care by all institutions and organization engaged in child rights protection through dialogue, education and information provision.
“Being an advocate informs and educates the child, parents/guardians, educators and professionals who are involved in child reintegration program. Different government agencies and NGOs are assigned with tasks that are related to child reintegration and they often collaborate with each other to ensure the continuity of program,” said Zaina.
Participants in the meeting included representatives from Rubavu District, Hope and Homes for Children, orphanages, Executive Secretaries of 18 Sectors marking up Rubavu District, Journalists from Community Based Radios, members from police, supreme court, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of public service and labour and Ministry of Gender and family promotion as well as Ministry of local government all work together in safe-guarding the rights of the child. The one day meeting aimed to brainstorm on the achievements, challenges and way forward in regard to children reintegration program since its commencement, was organized by National Commission for Children (NCC) in partnership with Rubavu District and Hope and Homes for Children.