OVC Support Toolkit  >  Quality Improvement  >  Latest from the Field 

Rwanda

National Leadership:

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office in charge of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF)

Contact persons for the QI Initiative :

Esron Niyonsaba, MIGEPROF, niyesron@yahoo.fr; Eleazar Nkunda, elnkunda@champ.org.rw; Therese Bishagara, Save the Children, bishagara@yahoo.fr

Background

Children constitute 52% of Rwanda’s population, and over half of them are estimated to be orphans and/or vulnerable children (OVC).

Although there is a strong national political will and commitment to provide a protective and supportive environment for OVC, it is becoming increasingly difficult to mobilise resources for care, protection, and support programming to coordinate the delivery of those resources.

In 2003, the Government of Rwanda adopted a National Policy on OVC, followed by the development of a five-year Strategic Plan for OVC in 2007. The Government recognises the urgent need to develop comprehensive guidelines for organisations to provide minimum standards for care, protection, and support of OVC in order to enhance quality of services provided.

Child participation is a priority in this programme. A National Children’s Summit is held yearly, as well as a Pediatric Conference to improve the lives and livelihoods of OVC.

Achievements

• Developed a guideline: Minimum Package of Services for OVC
• Developed a document on vulnerability criteria to help identify the most vulnerable OVC
• Completed the Situation Analysis Study on OVC
• Formed an OVC Technical Working Group
• Developed Child Protection Committees at the community level

Current Focus

• MIGEPROF, partners, and stakeholders are adapting the Child Status Index (CSI) tool to the local context. When completed, OVC stakeholders will be trained on the use of CSI/ quality assurance and improvement for OVC programs
• Exploring ways to pilot the CSI as a national surveillance tool
• Implementing recently developed vulnerability criteria to identify most vulnerable OVC.

  Mobilise resources to improve shelter services for OVC

Challenges & Lessons

• Providing even a minimum package of services; the quality of services varies greatly
• Referral and linkages across services

Opportunities

• The Ministry supports a family-centered approach to service delivery
• Signing performance contracts at all levels of service delivery has clarified responsibilities and increased accountability

Last updated June 2008

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