From 7 - 11 January, 2013, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) conducted a Participatory Gender Audit (PGA), facilitated by the Gender Monitoring Office (GMO). The aim of the gender audit was to establish baseline data, and to identify gender gaps and challenges facing the Commission in the implementation of gender principles. The audit also came up with recommendations to address identified gender gaps and challenges.

In his remarks at the opening of debriefing session, the Commissioner, Mr. Samuel Kanyemera, welcomed the Deputy Chief Gender Monitor, Mr. Ramadhan Barengayabo, and the GMO team assigned to facilitate the PGA. He also appreciated the PGA findings because they helped the NHRC to be aware of its strengths and weaknesses, and to identify gaps and challenges facing the NHRC in mainstreaming gender in its key documents such as strategic plan and plan of action.

The Deputy Chief Gender Monitor said that the aim of a PGA is to promote organizational learning on how to effectively implement gender mainstreaming in policies, strategies, programs, and practices and to assess the extent to which policies have been institutionalized at the organizational, work unit and individual levels. He highly appreciated the commitment of NHRC leaders in the promotion of gender equality.

The Participatory Gender Audit formulated recommendations to help the NHRC in gender mainstreaming. Some of the recommendations include the following: to collect and use gender disaggregated data, mainstream gender in all programs and activities, and provide capacity building on gender analysis and mainstreaming for commissioners, directors and other staff.

Closing the debriefing session, the NHRC Secretary General, Madam Mutuyemariya Emerthe, appreciated the work done by GMO facilitators and NHRC internal gender auditors. She said that the NHRC is committed to address identified gender gaps and to implement all recommendations in order to mainstream gender principles in all key documents and activities.

According to the Article 177 of the Constitution of Rwanda dated 4th June 2003 as amended to date, the NHRC has the following responsibilities: educating and mobilizing the population on matters relating to human rights; examining the violations of human rights committed on Rwandan territory by State organs, public officials using their duties cover, by organizations and by individuals; carrying out investigators of human rights abuses in Rwanda and filing complaints in respect thereof with the competent courts; and preparing and disseminating an annual and reports as may be necessary on the situation of human rights in Rwanda.