The Youth Association for Human Rights Promotion and Development / Association de la Jeunesse pour la Promotion des Droits de l’Homme et le Développement (AJPRODHO – JIJUKIRWA) works to improve the situation of young people and children in Rwanda through human rights promotion, protection, research, advocacy, economic empowerment and civil society support. AJPRODHO was founded in 1996 at the National University of Rwanda, as a response to the Rwandan Genocide, in order to protect future students from similar forms of manipulation.

• 1. ORGANISATION SUMMARY PROFILE

  AJPRODHO–JIJUKIRWA is a non-governmental organization working to improve the rights of disadvantaged youth, women and children in Rwanda through Human Rights promotion and protection. AJPRODHO’s vision is a peaceful society where there is youth participation for social justice and decent living conditions for all.

  The Youth Association for Human Rights Promotion and Development (AJPRODHO-JIJUKIRWA) AJPRODHO has transitioned from a small NGO to a nationally active non-governmental organization with programs in 16 districts spread over 4 provinces of Rwanda and Kigali city. The primary focus of the organization continues to be Human Rights promotion, protection, research, advocacy, economic empowerment and civil society strengthening.

  Vision

  A peaceful society where there is youth participation for social justice and decent living conditions for all

  Mission

  To empower youth to claim and respect Human Rights and advocate for socio‐economic betterment

  AJPRODHO OBJECTIVES

  • Increase dialogue and debate on Human Rights, democracy and government issues among youth
  • Sensitize, advocate and promote awareness of governance and public policy among youth
  • Foster and advocate for enhanced youth participation in public policy and service delivery monitoring
  • Sensitize policy-makers to youth concerns and analyze rights violations
  • Promote collaborative efforts to improve democracy and governance
  • Promote Human rights education

  Our Values

  • Non-Partisan
  • Integrity
  • Respect for Human Rights and Dignity
  • Gender equality
  • Diversity
  • Mutual Respect and Inclusiveness

  Programmatic Areas:

  AJPRODHO works in five areas as follows:

  1. Human Rights and Access to justice program
  2. Economic Empowerment program
  3. Democracy and governance program
  4. Child protection program
  5. Human Right education
  1. AJPRODHO PROGRAMS

  2.1. Human Rights and access to Justice Component

  Goal: To enhance mechanisms to promote and protect Human Rights and ensure equitable access to justice for children and vulnerable youth

  Objectives:

  • To conduct research, monitoring and documentation on Human Rights, especially access to justice issues and analyze factual legal situation on the basis of international Human Rights standards. 
  • To enhance public awareness of their rights, access to justice and judicial services for citizens and communities 
  • To advocate for citizens and their rights on national, local and district levels using existing civil society networks

   2.2. Democracy and Governance Component

  Goal: To strengthen mechanisms for active youth participation in decision-making processes and due consideration of youth concerns.

  Objectives:

  • Increase dialogue and debate on Human Rights, democracy and government issues among youth 
  • Sensitize, advocate and promote awareness of governance and public policy among youth 
  • Foster and advocate for enhanced youth participation in public policy and service delivery monitoring 
  • Sensitize policy-makers to youth concerns and analyze rights violations 
  • Promote collaborative efforts to improve democracy and governance

  2.3. Youth Economic Empowerment Component

  Goal: To increase opportunities for youth to acquire skills and experience in income-generating activities

  Objectives:

  • Conduct policy advocacy and raise awareness to strengthen mechanisms that facilitate youth entering into productive employment 
  • Promote and support self-employment, micro-enterprise and credit schemes for youth 
  • Engage with education providers and the private sector to increase access to education, vocational training and skill development for vulnerable people, especially women, to gain meaningful employment 

  2.4. Institutional Capacity Building

  Goal: AJPRODHO is able to further its mission by developing internal skills, knowledge, structures and ways of working

  Objectives:

  • Increase capacity in the area of research, documentation and publication 
  • Improve fundraising strategies and proposal writing skills 
  • Improve internal structures of roles, responsibilities, knowledge management and communication 
  • Set up formal structures for efficient rights-based advocacy procedures and increase capacities in applying and integrating the rights-based approach in all stages of project cycle. 
  • Support CSO capacity strengthening 
  1. KEY INTERVENTIONS

        AJPRODHO is implementing several interventions that include but not limited to:

  • DUHUZE PROJECT:

        This project goal is to contribute to the consolidation of a peaceful and inclusive Rwandan society through enhanced citizens’ participation and ownership of reconciliation processes as well as responsive policies and programs.

        It has an objective to support societal healing and enabling Rwandans to effectively manage individual and collective wounds and differences, improve trust and cooperation, and celebrate their diversities.

        At the local level, the project is targeting to reach 1260 communities from 6 districts namely GASABO, MUSANZE, RUBAVU, HUYE, GISAGARA and NYAMAGABE.

         So far, Duhuze project created and facilitated 252 therapy groups, 818 Unity and Reconciliation dialogue groups known as DUHUZE Forums were formed, 93 Voluntary Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) which are made of 2,639 members(1,705 females and 934 males) were created and given the VSLA tool kits.  From the workshops organized and conducted on support to joint economic initiatives, Duhuze project beneficiaries initiated income generating activities like agribusiness, rearing small domestic animals, etc. 

  • PPIMA PROJECT: Public Policy Information Monitoring and Advocacy project. AJPRODHO implements PPIMA Project in two operational Districts; which are Gatsibo and Nyagatare in the Eastern. 
  • YAGEVFA/EDV PROJECT:

  The project purpose is to enhance the existing prevention and response mechanisms for effectively and efficiently prevent and respond to Gender Based violence (GBV), at community, district and national level.

  It aims to provide an appropriate multidimensional support to Existing prevention and response mechanisms so that they can be effectively and efficiently play their role in preventing and responding to Gender Based violence (GBV) issues at community, district and national level as stipulated in the National Policy against GBV. This is to happen through using different innovative approaches, which include Community scorecards, Capacity building,Strengthening community based anti-GBV structures, Alliance and Networking, Men’s engagement, Right based approach and Media engagement. The project focuses on both women and men community members in the 630 villages which compose fourteen (14) sectors:

  46,000 direct beneficiaries targeted in this project include: women, men, youth, HMPs and PWDs. Through advocacy and raising awareness on their rights and entitlements.

  Beneficiaries are at the forefront through their communities to claim from the government the appropriate services and legal protection and hold them accountable. 

  • DUTEZE IMBERE UBUTABERA PROJECT:

  Duteze Imbere Ubutabera Project is a USAID funded project aiming at increasing access to justice and enhance the rule of law in Rwanda and aims to: improve judicial effectiveness in both formal courts mechanisms and community justice (Abunzi), and improve public understanding of the judicial system and legal rights.

  AJPRODHO JIJUKIRWA is implementing a “KNOW YOUR RIGHTS CAMPAIGN”- MENYA UBURENGANZIRA BWAWE. Beneficiaries of this campaign are the people from National Youth Council, National women Council, youth representatives from cells and people with disabilities from the sector levels who finally disseminate to the community. 

  • POSITIVE DISCIPLINE PROJECT: It is a 5 years Project (2017-2021) implemented in Nyarugenge and Kirehe Districts in partnership with Save the Children with the Fund from SIDA. The main goal is “strengthening an accountable governance that protects and delivers children’s rights” with a special emphasis on Prevention and Eradication of Physical and humiliating punishment (PHP). In the catchment area, the Project focused on strengthening capacity of CSOs to advocate for prohibition of PHP and Increasing Skills and Knowledge of Local leader and Community based groups to prevent and respond to violence against children. Moreover, Parents, caregivers and others community stakeholders were trained to apply and cascade positive discipline practices in their homes and community. This has considerably enhanced the culture of dialogue and created the space of friendly exchange between parents and children and contributed to positive behaviors of children.. Approximatively 10,000 people shall be reached out by Positive Discipline skills through trainings and campaigns, 
  • ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR TEEN MOTHERS AND TEENAGER PREGNANCY PREVENTION (AJTTP)/LAF PROJECT:

   The project aims to increase access to justice for teen mothers and prevent teenage pregnancy in Gatsibo District. It provides legal aid services (legal representation, child registration, consultation, and referral), develop the capacity of teen mothers on laws, HR and SRHR and raise awareness in the community against teenage pregnancy. Under the same project, AJPRODHO is conducting a situation analysis of teenage pregnancy in 5 districts to inform policy makers and advocate for teen mothers in the country. The project is implemented in collaboration with the Legal Aid Forum under the Royal Netherlands Embassy support to youth. 

  • HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTE: AJPRODHO Human rights institute offers a training on Human Rights and related concepts. The objective is to equip youth with knowledge, skills and experience to advocate, campaign and cascade the trainings received into their respective communities. Each cycle takes a period of three months, 167 young activists and Human rights defenders have been trained.

  The product from the center are trained with a purpose of reaching out to the community sensitizing and training youth on Human rights principles. Rights Based approach has been an important tool in strengthening Civil Society Organizations working in the field of human rights in Rwanda through the integration of a gender- and conflict sensitive rights-based.

  1. AJPRODHO PARTNERS

  INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS

  European Union, Austrian Development Agency, Care International, GIZ, Save the Children, Embassy of the Netherlands, DIU, LAF, Norwegian People’s Aid, UN Women, USAID, World Bank, International Alert.

  PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS             

  MINIYOUTH, MINIJUST, MIGEPROF, MINEDUC, MIFOTRA, WDA, RCA, RGB, MINALOC, NYC, NWC, NCC, GMO, PSF, etc.

  Geographic Area;

  AJPRODHO currently works in 16 districts in 4 provinces and Kigali city. AJPRODHO has also offices in Kayonza, Gatsibo, Nyagatare, Huye, Rubavu, Nyamagabe, Ngororero, Rulindo, Kirehe and Gasabo districts. 

  AJPRODHO-JIJUKIRWA

  H/Q Office location

  Kigali City - Remera, KG 201 str Rukili II, No 16

  Email: info@ajprodhojijukirwa.org;  ajprodhojijukirwa@yahoo.com; jijukirwaajprodho@gmail.com

  Twitter: @jijukirwa

  Website: www.ajprodhojijukirwa.org

  P.0.BOX 6811 Kigali –Rwanda

  Tel: 0788308964