Friday, June 7

Our first lecture today (June 7) was about RWAMREC (Rwandan Men’s Resource Centre), which is an organization that was begun by nine men who wanted to address issues within masculinity, promote gender equality, and fight gender-based violence. The organization has grown immensely, and they have various programs going on throughout the country. This discussion was very inspiring! 

Next, we heard a lecture about rape and sexual assault as an instrument of the 1994 Genocide. I will not go into much detail here about it, but in sum, rape was used as a weapon against the Tutsi in 1994 (between 250,000 and 500,000 women were raped during the genocide according to the presentation today), and in many cases HIV/AIDS was spread deliberately through rape. Also, the first international conviction of rape as a weapon of genocide was given to a Rwandan following the genocide during the ICTR trials, and now rape is included in international law as an act of genocide and a crime against humanity. 

After the lectures, we went to lunch at a nice restaurant attached to a hotel, and we hung out there for quite a while waiting for the bus to return. Two other girls and I decided to explore the shopping center nearby, and I found two bookstores! And guess what I bought?! History of Africa for Rwanda Secondary Schools! So excited to have it! And I saw quite a few other books that I wanted to buy, but I restrained myself to one for now!

Now is time to rest because tomorrow we leave early to go to the Akagera National Park to see the animals!