Source: United Nations – Geneva
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights today concluded its review of the fifth periodic report of Rwanda, with Committee Experts commending the State on the number of new jobs created, while raising questions about women’s political representation and how Rwanda recognised the cultures of its different ethnic groups.
Preeti Saran, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Member, was impressed with some of the figures shared, including seven per cent gross domestic product growth and 1.3 million jobs created. These were commendable and Rwanda should be congratulated.
Peters Sunday Omologbe Emuze, Committee Vice-Chair and Country Rapporteur for Rwanda, said Rwanda had made significant progress in gender equality, and especially women’s political representation. What steps were being taken to increase women’s representation in local administration and the private sector? How was the gender pay gap addressed? What was being done to combat discrimination against women and stereotypes?
Ms. Saran said each ethnic group in Rwanda had a rich cultural heritage. For the sake of national unity and reconciliation, if everyone was being referred to as Rwandan, how did the State propagate the cultural richness of the population? Rwanda had been extremely welcoming to refugees from all over the world, who brought their own specific languages and cultures. What measures had the State party taken to ensure equal cultural rights for ethnic groups that had come as aliens, refugees or asylum seekers?
The delegation said over the years, Rwanda had implemented measures to achieve gender equality, particularly in Parliament, where it was around 63 per cent in the Chamber of Deputies and around 53 per cent in the Senate. Quotas were in place which mandated that a minimum of 30 per cent of leaders should be women. When the issue of equality was dealt with properly, this had a cascading effect on other policies. A few years ago, the State recognised that gender-based violent crimes were specific in nature and needed to be treated in a certain way.
The delegation said there was no significant cultural diversity within the country, as everyone shared the same language and culture. Traditionally the ethnic groups had been defined based on occupation and turning them into an ethnicity was introduced by the colonialists. It had been entrenched in identity cards for Tutsis, Hutus and Twas. This negated the fact that people could have moved from one group to another. There were no significant differences in culture between these groups. Rwanda had received a number of people who faced difficulties in their own countries. Diversity days were organised at schools, encouraging refugees and asylum seekers to share their culture.
Emmanuel Ugirashebuja, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Rwanda and head of the delegation, said in 2023, Rwanda further refined its governance framework by aligning the schedules of presidential and parliamentary elections, enhancing efficiency and reducing electoral costs. During the period under consideration, Rwanda successfully completed its ambitious 2020 Vision and adopted the Vision 2050. From 2018 to 2024, Rwanda implemented its first national strategy for transformation, which laid the foundation for sustainable development, and was succeeded by the second national strategy for transformation, which ran until 2029. Through these strategies, Rwanda maintained steady economic growth, with gross domestic product expanding at an average of 7 per cent and per capita income rising from $729 to $1,040 in 2023/2024.
In concluding remarks, Mr. Emuze thanked the Rwandan delegation for attending the dialogue, noting the high calibre of the delegation. The Committee wished the delegation a safe journey home.
In his concluding remarks Mr. Ugirashebuja expressed appreciation for the constructive dialogue with the Committee. The State had learnt many valuable lessons and looked forward to receiving the Committee’s recommendations. Mr. Ugirashebuja extended an open invitation to the Committee to visit Rwanda in the future.
The delegation of Rwanda was comprised of representatives from the Ministry of Justice; the National Institute of Statistics; the Rwanda Education Board; the Department of International Justice Judicial Cooperation; and the Permanent Mission of Rwanda to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The Committee’s seventy-seventh session is being held until 28 February 2025. All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Webcasts of the meetings of the session can be found here, and meetings summaries can be found here.
The Committee will next meet in public at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, 18 February to begin its consideration of the seventh periodic report of the Philippines (E/C.12/PHL/7).
Report
The Committee has before it the fifth periodic report of Rwanda (E/C.12/RWA/5).
Presentation of Report
EMMANUEL UGIRASHEBUJA, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Rwanda and head of the delegation, said since the last review by the Committee over a decade ago, Rwanda had undergone significant changes in its policy, legal and institutional landscape. In 2023, Rwanda further refined its governance framework by aligning the schedules of presidential and parliamentary elections, enhancing efficiency, and reducing electoral costs.
At the institutional level, Rwanda established the Rwanda Forensic Laboratory in 2016, upgrading it to the Rwanda Forensic Institute in 2023. The Institute had enhanced forensic and advisory services, strengthening accountability in sectors critical to economic, social and cultural rights. Its digital forensic and document services helped combat financial crimes like fraud and embezzlement. In 2017, the Rwanda Investigation Bureau was established to enhance specialisation and professionalism in crime investigation.
In the judiciary, Rwanda made significant strides in strengthening its justice system. In 2018, the Court of Appeal was established, further enhancing the country’s capacity to provide effective legal recourse. In 2024, the establishment of an Appeal Tribunal to hear matters relating to refugee and asylum claims reinforced Rwanda’s commitment to upholding the rights of individuals in vulnerable situations. Rwanda’s legal framework strongly supported the protection of economic, social and cultural rights, as enshrined in the Constitution. Since the last report, Rwanda had enacted several laws that aligned with the provisions of the Covenant and contributed to the progressive realisation of economic, social and cultural rights. These included the education law that guaranteed access to quality education at all levels, as well as health laws.
During the period under consideration, Rwanda successfully completed its ambitious 2020 Vision and adopted the Vision 2050. From 2018 to 2024, Rwanda implemented its first national strategy for transformation, which laid the foundation for sustainable development, and was succeeded by the second national strategy for transformation, which ran until 2029. Through these strategies, Rwanda maintained steady economic growth, with gross domestic product expanding at an average of 7 per cent and per capita income rising from $729 to $1,040 in 2023/2024.
Infrastructure development advanced with the construction of over 1,600 kilometres of national roads and 4,137 kilometres of feeder roads. Job creation efforts led to over 1.3 million decent and productive jobs, while financial inclusion improved from 89 per cent in 2017 to 96 per cent by 2024. Life expectancy also increased from 66.6 in 2017 to 69.9 years in 2024.
Rwanda also significantly strengthened its healthcare system under the strategy. Seven new hospitals were added to the existing 52, while 23 were rehabilitated or expanded. Community-based health insurance coverage reached 93 per cent of the population. Healthcare modernisation included advanced imaging, laboratory equipment, local pharmaceutical manufacturing, and digital health systems.
In 2023, Rwanda, in partnership with Germany Biotechnology Company BioNTech, set-up an mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility, the first of its kind on the African continent, which would have the capacity to produce between 50 and 100 million doses of mRNA vaccines annually, and conduct trials on new therapeutics for malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, cancers and other diseases.
Through the Girinka programme (one cow per family programme), Rwanda distributed 333,146 cows to an equivalent number of households. Rwanda valued the opportunity to engage in a constructive dialogue with the Committee.
Questions by a Committee Expert
PETERS SUNDAY OMOLOGBE EMUZE, Committee Vice-Chair and Country Rapporteur for Rwanda, asked how the 2015 constitutional amendments had affected Rwanda’s commitment to international human rights standards. Did it enable the State party to override Covenant protections in favour of domestic law? What measures were being taken to ensure that the provisions of the Covenant were invoked by domestic courts?
What training programmes were in place for judges, law enforcement and government officials to ensure consistent application of the Covenant? The important work of Rwanda’s national human rights institution was noted. Was the selection process of its members carried out by a committee appointed by the President? Did members require clearance from the Prime Minister’s office for official travel outside Rwanda? Had the State party accepted the recommendations of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions to strengthen the institution in line with the Paris Principles?
What measures had been taken to guarantee that human rights defenders could continue their work without undue restrictions on freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly and association? What steps were taken to protect them from risks of unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, harassment and intimidation, including judicial harassment? Could the State party clarify the concerns regarding non-governmental organization registration requirements? Were there any obstacles for opposition groups to promote and advocate for the promotion of human rights, including economic, social and cultural rights?
When would the State party finalise a national action plan for business and human rights? What steps were being taken to put in place a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework for human rights due diligence for businesses? What measures were in place to ensure Rwanda met its nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement?
What measures were in place to combat corruption, particularly in public procurement and State-owned enterprises? What challenges did anti-corruption institutions face in maintaining independence and effectiveness? What measures were being taken to address them? The Committee noted Rwanda’s legislative efforts to combat discrimination. However, reports indicated persistent structural inequalities, particularly affecting Batwa people, women and girls, people living in deprived urban and rural areas, persons with disabilities, people living in poverty, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons. How did Rwanda plan to address these challenges?
How did Rwanda plan to address the absence of disaggregated data to assess the situation of the Batwa people? What steps were being taken to combat poverty, high infant mortality, malnutrition, and lower educational outcomes among the Batwa? What kind of barriers did the Batwa continue to face to land titling and how did Rwanda plan to secure their rights to land ownership? What measures were in place to prevent forced displacement of the Batwa people from their ancestral lands? How was adequate compensation provided when Batwa lands were expropriated? How did the State party ensure consultations with Batwa people in decisions likely to affect them?
Rwanda had made significant progress in gender equality, and especially women’s political representation. What steps were being taken to increase women’s representation in local administration and the private sector? How was the gender pay gap addressed? What was being done to combat discrimination against women and stereotypes? How had the Rwanda Gender Monitoring Office and its Gender Management Information System contributed to tracking gender equality initiatives?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said since the 2015 Constitutional amendments, no new organic laws had come into place. There was consistent training on the use of human rights in courts. However, the members of the bar tended not to apply international conventions in the courts. The reason for this was because the Constitution provided for a whole section of bill of rights, which was a replica of the Covenant. However, lawyers were still trained on the use of human rights conventions.
Members of the human rights institution were manually selected via a presidential order. This was a rigorous process, and many candidates were considered. The appointment process was comparable to any other country with human rights mechanisms. Whenever Commissioners wanted to travel, they informed the Minister’s office and a document was provided, called the travel clearance. Given that this caused significant confusion, the Government had decided to do away with the travel clearance.
Rwanda did all it could to strengthen the National Commission of Human Rights, and put in place any recommendations received. Rwanda was on track to reach its goals regarding carbon emissions. The State was encouraging businesses to go green, which in turn would create “green jobs” which would contribute to more employment. An example of this could be seen in the State employing young people to plant trees. The Rwandan Government had heavily invested in areas key to social equality. The community-based insurance now extended to certain diseases previously not covered, including cancer.
Rwanda aimed to achieve zero tolerance for corruption. Key institutions like the Ombudsman’s office had played a key role towards achieving this goal. Rwanda had improved its global ranking from 49th to 43rd place in 2024 in the Transparency Index Global Corruption Index.
Rwandans and the Batwa spoke the same language and had the same culture. The Batwa people could be found throughout the country and did not live in a designated area. Rwanda aimed to ensure no one was left behind, regardless of their status. Land registration helped to resolve dispute around land, and to ensure that land was adequately registered.
Over the years, Rwanda had implemented measures to achieve gender equality, particularly in Parliament, where it was around 63 per cent in the Chamber of Deputies and around 53 per cent in the Senate. Quotas were in place which mandated that a minimum of 30 per cent of leaders should be women. When the issue of equality was dealt with properly, this had a cascading effect on other policies. A few years ago, the State recognised that gender-based violent crimes were specific in nature and needed to be treated in a certain way.
No discrimination against any group was tolerated in Rwanda. Measures had been put in place to ensure that anyone who faced discrimination was able to access fast reparations. There were many issues which were largely context-specific to Rwanda.
Questions by Committee Experts
PREETI SARAN, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, was impressed with some of the figures shared, including seven per cent gross domestic product growth and 1.3 million jobs created. These were commendable and Rwanda should be congratulated. What kind of resource constraints had the State faced in budgetary allocations for social spending? What challenges had there been when dealing with external partners?
KARLA LEMUS DE VÁSQUE, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, said marital violence affected 46 per cent of women who were married and 18 per cent of men, with many never seeking help for the violence they had suffered. What measures had been put in place to combat the cultural norms which perpetuated marital violence? How were victims of violence being supported so they could report the crime?
A Committee Expert asked what steps were being taken by the Government to ensure safe access by humanitarian organizations to the population affected by the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo? How had the State ensured its policies and actions did not obstruct humanitarian aid? What was the coordination framework that the State had with armed groups operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly the M23? How might the State respond to the concerns regarding any potential support for these armed groups?
What measures had been put in place to prevent and punish any involvement by Rwandan stakeholders in conflict zones in the Democratic Republic of the Congo? What measures had the State adopted to ensure that no armed group benefitted from support from the State? What measures had been put in place to remedy any violations, including forced labour in mining areas under the control of armed groups, among others?
Another Expert asked about the role of civil society when drafting reports to treaty bodies? Were all civil society organizations invited to participate in the drafting procedures? What was the position of Rwanda on the Rome Statute? Was there a possibility that the Government might consider acceding to it? Rwanda had extraterritorial obligations. The President had reiterated a lack of knowledge regarding the Rwandan military participating in the conflict of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. How was oversight of the military activities ensured? How did Rwanda ensure that armed groups operating in other countries received no support?
A Committee Expert asked what the State was doing to combat the illicit trade of minerals? What specific measures were taken to enhance specific imports and exports?
PETERS SUNDAY OMOLOGBE EMUZE, Vice-Chair and Taskforce Leader for Rwanda, said there had been allegations of Government members committing unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, and intimidation and reprisals, against those defending human rights. What had the State party done to prevent this? Despite measures taken by the State party to improve rights for indigenous peoples, challenges remained. How did the State party intend to address challenges in this regard, including the lack of disaggregated data? How would Rwanda address challenges such as poverty, infant mortality, lower school attendance, and higher drop-out rates, among others?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said Rwanda had challenges in terms of budget. The State aimed to address this through development partners. However, resources were not always permanent. Although Rwanda worked with development partners, the State aimed to be financially stable in terms of its own financing.
Rwanda had developed mechanisms to capture data regarding gender-based violence. Initially, people were scared to report cases due to stigmatisation. Investigators had been trained to interview victims of gender-based violence. When cases proceeded, it was ensured that they were not held in public, so as not to endanger the lives of the victims.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo had its own problems as did Rwanda, and the State could not bear the burden of others’ problems. Anything happening beyond the territory of Rwanda should be dealt with by those States.
Civil society played an important role in the drafting of the report and in helping Rwanda achieve its human rights obligations. Rwanda had not yet joined the Rome Statute, but if the appropriate time came and if it was necessary, the State would willingly join the Statute. At present, the State was not considering joining the Statue in the near future.
Rwanda was the first country in the Great Lakes region to commit to a due diligence mechanism. This ensured Rwanda could not be used as a route for illicit mines. There were mechanisms in place to protect against enforced disappearances. There was zero tolerance for anyone who threatened human rights defenders.
Questions by a Committee Expert
PREETI SARAN, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, asked what recent measures the State party had taken to address unemployment rates and to guarantee access to work? What specific steps had been taken to address the problem of labour under-utilisation? What major obstacles had Rwanda faced in addressing the employment challenge? How was the integration of women into the labour force being promoted?
What specific steps had the State party taken for those facing discrimination to access the labour market. What had Rwanda done to enforce laws dealing with discrimination at the workplace and to encourage employers to adopt anti-discrimination measures specifically related to sexual orientation at the workplace? How were systemic barriers for persons with disabilities being removed? What measures had been taken to enable the transition of workers from the informal to the formal sector, particularly for women, the disadvantaged, and persons with disabilities? What was the anticipated timeframe for establishing a minimum wage?
Many workers were reportedly exposed to frequent occupational accidents due to unsafe working conditions, leading to occupational injuries and fatalities. Had the State party formulated an updated national policy on occupational health and safety? How did the State party reinforce and implement the Labour Code on occupational health and safety? Had the State party developed rights awareness programmes targeting domestic workers and employers?
What steps had been taken to establish a safe reporting system for domestic workers to report workplace violence? What initiatives were in place to provide confidential and accessible health care for domestic workers? What steps had the State party taken to remove any such legal barriers to the enjoyment of the right to form trade unions and the right to strike.
The adoption of the updated national social protection policy (2020), which aimed to ensure that Rwandan citizens had a dignified standard of living, was commendable. Were there any proposals to improve and expand the coverage process to ensure that it included the widest possible population, particularly the most marginalised and disadvantaged in the informal sector? What steps had the State party taken to expand the community-based health insurance scheme to cover specialised health services, medicines, assistive devices, and commodities required by persons with disabilities?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said employment was a concern in Rwanda. Rwanda had a young population and the State needed to create an enabling environment for the youth to thrive. It was hoped the law on startups would ensure easy financing of start-ups for the youth. A proportion of the laws provided for special consideration for women and people living with disabilities, to ensure these traditionally marginalised groups could access these resources.
Despite the efforts that the Government had put in place, there were still instances of gender-based discrimination. There had been instances in the private sector where questions had been asked about women’s marital status to ascertain if they would be looking to seek maternity leave. The State was looking at how to incentivise the private sector to ensure they did not discriminate based on gender. No one in Rwanda was discriminated against based on their sexual orientation. If discrimination was there, the State worked with civil society to address this. It was important to have a synergy with civil society organizations to address persistent discriminatory issues. There were quotas of 30 per cent for women, and the State monitored these closely to ensure gender equity was being achieved.
There were a lot of workers employed in the informal sector, and the State tried to formalise these areas. Cooperatives were important in ensuring people came together, and worked like trade unions to highlight challenges faced by people in the informal sector. There had been a growth in the number of cooperatives registered over recent years. The State had seen unfortunate incidents where people had been trapped in mines due to unsuitable mining. The Rwanda mining board ensured that it monitored mining sites; however, people sometimes ventured into illegal mining at nighttime and ended up being trapped. Work was being done with the local governments to ensure these unfortunate situations were avoided.
The minimum wage was a difficult debate. The Government was on the right path regarding what an acceptable minimum wage was in Rwanda. The process was long, but the Government aimed to develop a suitable minimum wage for the greater good of the country. Laws guaranteed safety for domestic workers, including salaries and leave. Labour inspectors took steps to ensure the legal mechanisms were being utilised.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert said the issues of the Democratic Republic of the Congo were relevant. What tools and mechanisms had the State created to ensure there was respect for economic, cultural and social rights? How was it ensured that impunity was combatted abroad, particularly in the context of the armed conflict?
KARLA LEMUS DE VÁSQUE, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, acknowledged that the State had extended fully-paid maternity leave for mothers in all sectors, but there were challenges to ensuring the legislation was enforced, particularly in the informal sector. What mechanisms were in place to ensure all working mothers could enjoy maternity leave? Had the State considered implementing a specific measure to ensure women who gave birth to children with disabilities were given maternity leave commiserate with the situation of their child? Were there incentives to encourage men to use paternity leave?
What efforts were being carried out to punish employers who were in breach of child labour laws? What results had the new national strategy on child labour yielded? There were still high levels of poverty, especially for families. What was the State doing in terms of the social schemes designed to eradicate extreme poverty? What challenges did small-scale farmers meet when it came to increasing their yield and diversifying their crop? What support programmes were in place for them? Had the State considered expanding the food assistance programmes for vulnerable groups?
A study of Rwanda’s development bank showed many people on low income still did not have access to affordable housing. What policies had been adopted to ensure the cost of housing was accessible? What percentage of the national budget was set aside for the building and maintenance of social housing? What initiatives had been launched to ensure that people who were vulnerable had access to affordable housing? Had any laws been passed on rent control? What measures could be implemented to ensure water rates were affordable?
Current adaptation measures were not enough to mitigate the impacts of climate change? Had studies or surveys been carried out to assess the impact of climate change, and how had the State responded to findings? What food resilience programmes could the State develop, including food storage programmes? What measures had been implemented to ensure enough resources were set aside for the health sector, including for the most disadvantaged groups? What measures had been developed to extend the scope and coverage of mental health services? What strategies had been developed to increase the number of qualified birth attendants in remote areas? What measures had been implemented to strengthen investment in infrastructure? How was equitable access to contraception guaranteed?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said in January 2025, the Cabinet approved the resolution on the additional package of services for the community-based health insurance, including kidney transplants, cancer care, blood transfusions, knee and hips replacements, dialysis and prosthetics, among other procedures. These were now all covered by the community-based health insurance.
The one cow per family programme provided a cow to families in the most vulnerable communities. More than 14,500 families had been provided with furnished housing and 124 model villages had been established between 2017 and 2024, with all the essential amenities.
Rwanda did not have effective jurisdiction over any country and could not be held accountable for human rights violations beyond its borders. The problems of the Democratic Republic of the Congo were internal. Rwanda would welcome refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo if the problems persisted.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, certain programmes had been implemented, including a voluntary saving scheme which was open to any citizen. The International Labour Organization, in collaboration with Rwanda, had recruited a team to conduct a study on the barriers to social protection in the informal sector, and it would develop recommendations to address these.
Since 2023, paid maternity leave had increased from 12 to 14 weeks. New changes in the law mandated that a pregnant woman or a breastfeeding mother should not be made to do any work that was too physically demanding or damaging to their overall health. Those on maternity leave received their full salary. Regular labour inspections were conducted, with more than 5,000 inspections carried out every year. More than 1,500 of the enterprises where inspections took place were in the informal sector. In the 2023-2024 fiscal year, 112 businesses were administratively sanctioned due to employment-related issues. In the same period, 26 investigations had been conducted into cases of child labour, and 18 had been referred to the courts with five convicted.
The Government of Rwanda had implemented various social protection initiatives to eliminate extreme poverty. In 2024, over 102,000 vulnerable individuals received monthly cash transfers and more than 80,000 households benefitted from flexible employment programmes. As of May 2024, there had been an old age grant for impoverished individuals over the age of 65. As of 2024, 315,327 households had been enrolled in the programme for sustainable graduation, where they received mentorship, financial support, and access to productive assets.
It was becoming more difficult for farmers to predict the weather, given the adverse impacts of climate change. Pilot projects were launched to allow farmers to access buyers in value chains, by ensuring their quality standards were high. The Rwanda culture board helped to increase agriculture and animal resources, advising farmers on the best seeds for each area of the country to ensure the best harvest. The Government heavily subsidised fertilizer for farmers to increase their output. The Government subsidised up to 40 per cent of the cost of water, and access to clean water had increased substantially in the country.
Rwanda aimed to quadruple its workforce of healthcare service providers. Below the age of 18, parental consent was required for any health intervention, including contraception and reproductive health services. To enhance access to sexual reproductive health services, the age of consent should be reduced to 15 years. To address this, a draft health service law was currently under consideration by the Parliament. The level of teen pregnancy had decreased due to education and sensitisation, but it was also expected the draft health service law would result in a further decrease in teen pregnancy.
Questions by Committee Experts
KARLA LEMUS DE VÁSQUE, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, asked if there was any recent study on the deficit in housing which would help address current challenges? Were there any laws on rent control?
How was the State addressing social and economic gaps which could address the prevalence of non-communicable diseases. Despite progress made in public health, communicable diseases, including malaria and HIV/AIDS, were a cause for concern. What measures had been adopted to strengthen health infrastructure in areas where access was limited? What was being done to improve the prevention programmes?
A Committee Expert asked about the national health insurance; how did it function? Did the State consider sharing revenues with areas where they obtained the resources from?
Another Expert said the country’s drug policy was focused on criminalisation and punitive measures. Would the State consider decriminalising drug use and changing the approach to one that was health-based? What measures had been taken to provide specialised training to law enforcement agents? What was being done to mainstream mental health in primary health services?
A Committee Expert asked whether Rwanda had considered using human rights methodologies to design and better assess public policies?
An Expert asked about access to water in rural areas? What measures had the State taken to address climate change and its impact on the agricultural sector?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said there had been a survey on housing deficits which had been presented in the Cabinet. There were no laws on rent to reduce increases, but it was illegal to charge rent in foreign currencies, which helped to ensure rent was controlled. Community health care workers were taught to deal with non-communicable diseases. There were also free community-based activities which took place to ascertain the levels of non-communicable diseases. Community health workers had also helped sensitise people around diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis.
Around 90 per cent of land had been registered, and everyone, including women and vulnerable groups, had access to land. After Rwanda developed its own gold refinery, businesses from other places came with gold to the refinery. The Government agreed that drug consumption should not be criminalised, but the distribution of drugs should be criminalised. More than 82 per cent of households had access to improved drinking water, and in Kigali this went up to 97 percent. Numbers were lower in the western part of the country at around 75 per cent.
The Government was intensely investing in areas of water availability.
Questions by Committee Experts
ASLAN ABASHIDZE, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, said dropout rates in Rwanda had decreased to 5.5 per cent in primary schools and 7.5 per cent in secondary schools. Could statistics be provided for the last five years, from 2019 to 2023, specifically on how many children were expected to enrol in primary school, and how many transitioned to lower secondary school, and then to upper secondary school? According to the statistics provided, what percentage in the mentioned 40,000 students with disabilities who began their studies in schools and universities during the 2022/23 academic year represented the total number of children with disabilities who were expected to start schooling in that academic year?
What was the overall state of school infrastructure? Did schools meet the minimum requirements for lighting, drinking water, sanitation, and nutrition? What steps was the Government taking in this regard? How were these initiatives funded? Why was disaggregated data on the Batwa group unavailable? Could information on higher education enrolment and completion rates disaggregated by sex, rural and urban areas, and economic status be provided?
Was there a shortage of teachers in certain subjects? If there were challenges in this area, were there programmes to address them? Could more details about the “We are all Rwandans” programmes be provided? How was the National Digital Inclusion Council funded? Were private companies involved, and if so, on what terms?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the number of teachers had increased by around 73 per cent, from around 68,000 in 2013 to around 100,000 in 2023/2024. A teacher management system helped to determine if there were any gaps across the country. The school dropout rate continued to decline at all levels. There was a programme called school feeding which provided adequate and nutritious meals in schools. The Government had started the journey of constructing schools, with a focus on accessibility by adding ramps, widening doorways, improving ventilation and lowering blackboards, to ensure they were accessible for students using wheelchairs. Of the 4,986 schools in Rwanda, 3,392 now met accessibility standards, a significant improvement from just 765 schools in 2017. Rwanda was committed to promoting inclusive education for children with disabilities.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert asked for clarification around the official languages? What was the language taught in primary schools? How many universities were there in Rwanda? Were there international students who studied in Rwanda? Did the Government provide scholarships for foreign students, particularly Africans? Was the Swahili language widely spoken?
PREETI SARAN, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, said each ethnic group in Rwanda had a rich cultural heritage. For the sake of national unity and reconciliation, if everyone was being referred to as Rwandan, how did the State propagate the cultural richness of the population? Rwanda had been extremely welcoming to refugees from all over the world, who brought their own specific languages and culture. What measures had the State party taken to ensure equal cultural rights for ethnic groups who had come as aliens, refugees or asylum seekers?
An Expert asked if the State was collecting data with regards to young people aged between 15 to 24, who neither studied nor worked? If this issue was not resolved, it could generate major issues.
PETERS SUNDAY OMOLOGBE EMUZE, Committee Vice-Chair and Country Rapporteur for Rwanda, asked what Rwandan troops were doing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said Kinyarwanda was recognised as the official language. Rwanda had just one language. There was no significant cultural diversity within the country, as everyone shared the same language and culture. Traditionally, the ethnic groups had been defined based on occupation and turning them into an ethnicity was introduced by the colonialists. It had been entrenched in identity cards for Tutsis, Hutus and Twas. This negated the fact that people could have moved from one group to another. There were no significant differences in culture between these groups. French was an official language in Rwanda, due to colonisation by Belgium. However, the majority of instruction was in English.
As of 2025, there were 19 universities in Rwanda, comprised of three public universities and 16 private institutions. Schools such as the Carnegie Melon University from the United States taught courses, and specific scholarships were offered to Africans. Scholarships were also offered to people fleeing their countries due to dangers, such as women from Afghanistan and people from Sudan. Education could solve a lot of issues, including criminality and unemployed youth.
Rwanda was doing its best to attain the highest standard of economic, social and cultural rights, and would take any opportunities to learn from other countries in this regard.
Swahili was now an official language, recognised in the Constitution as a Lingua Franca. It was widely spoken and taught in schools.
Rwanda had received a number of people who faced difficulties in their own countries. Diversity days were organised at schools, encouraging refugees and asylum seekers to share their culture.
Closing Remarks
PETERS SUNDAY OMOLOGBE EMUZE, Vice-Chair and Country Rapporteur for Rwanda, thanked the Rwandan delegation for attending the dialogue, noting the high calibre of the delegation. The Committee wished the delegation a safe journey home.
EMMANUEL UGIRASHEBUJA, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Rwanda and head of the delegation, expressed appreciation for the constructive dialogue with the Committee. The State had learnt many valuable lessons and looked forward to receiving the Committee’s recommendations. Rwanda’s achievements in access to health, education, and employment demonstrated the Government’s commitment to sustainable development. The country had a lot of challenges, including addressing inequalities, mitigating the effects of the global crisis, and ensuring policies translated into tangible improvements for the lives of the most vulnerable. Rwanda was committed to resolving these challenges and to implementing the Committee’s recommendations. Mr. Ugirashebuja extended an open invitation to the Committee to visit Rwanda in the future.
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