Source: New Times
The "16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence," kicked off yesterday with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and will run up to December 10, when the World marks the International Human Rights Day.

The Day was marked with a march to raise awareness as the country moves to bring an end to the violence.

While remarkable progress has been registered, reports of abuse, mainly from rural communities, still feature in the media more often than not.

It is evident that some people are not aware that GBV is punishable by law, while others seem not to understand what their rights are, especially women and children, who are many a time, the victims.

To bring an end to this trend, awareness campaigns will not only have to be continued but also increased. The campaigns should sensitize the people about the law, as well as the various manifestations of Gender Based Violence and what victims should do.

The fear to bring cases of abuse forward has also been an obstacle, however, with increased awareness, there is no doubt that victims will be more confident to speak out against all forms of abuse.

The Government has demonstrated commitment to eliminate the vice, with various institutions setting up gender desks to raise awareness and monitor cases of abuse.

With strong legislation and concerted efforts by the various players, especially local leaders, Gender Based Violence can be done away with once and for all.

• Rwanda