Failed aid: how development agencies are neglecting and marginalising Rwandan genocide survivors

Abstract

This Viewpoint argues that international development aid agencies have failed adequately to address the rights and needs of genocide survivors in Rwanda. It illustrates that genocide survivors remain impoverished and marginalised, and that development aid agencies only tangentially, if at all, acknowledge their vulnerability and take steps to empower them to realise their rights. It provides examples of aid programmes that are reaching genocide survivors and urges development aid agencies in Rwanda to design and implement programmes explicitly for genocide survivors.

Aide échouée : comment les agences de développement délaissent et marginalisent les rescapés du génocide rwandais

Ce Viewpoint (Point de vue) soutient que les agences internationales d'aide au développement ont échoué à aborder de manière adéquate les droits et les besoins des rescapés du génocide rwandais. Il illustre le fait que les survivants du génocide restent indigents et marginalisés et que les agences d'aide au développement ne reconnaissent leur vulnérabilité et ne prennent des mesures pour leur donner les moyens de faire valoir leurs droits que de manière tangentielle, si tant est qu'elles le font. Il présente des exemples de programmes d'aide qui parviennent aux rescapés du génocide et demande instamment aux agences d'aide au développement du Rwanda de concevoir et de mettre en œuvre des programmes destinés expressément aux survivants.

Ajuda mal-sucedida: como as agências de desenvolvimento estão negligenciando e marginalizando sobreviventes do genocídio de Ruanda

Este Ponto de Vista argumenta que as agências de ajuda ao desenvolvimento internacionais não têm conseguido abordar de maneira adequada os direitos e necessidades dos sobreviventes do genocídio em Ruanda. Ele ilustra que os sobreviventes do genocídio permanecem empobrecidos e marginalizados e que as agências de ajuda ao desenvolvimento apenas tangencialmente, ou nem mesmo isto, reconhecem a vulnerabilidade deles e adotam medidas para os empoderar para que façam valer seus direitos. O texto oferece exemplos de programas de ajuda que estão alcançando os sobreviventes do genocídio e conclama as agências de ajuda ao desenvolvimento em Ruanda para que montem e implementem programas explicitamente para sobreviventes do genocídio.

El fracaso de la ayuda humanitaria: agencias de desarrollo que descuidan y marginan a los sobrevivientes del genocidio de Ruanda

Este ensayo sostiene que las agencias internacionales de ayuda humanitaria no han cumplido con el objetivo de atender los derechos y las necesidades de los sobrevivientes del genocidio en Ruanda. Aclara que los sobrevivientes del genocidio continúan marginados y en la pobreza; las agencias humanitarias apenas reconocen su vulnerabilidad ni dan pasos para que se empoderen y defiendan sus derechos. El ensayo examina los programas de asistencia para los sobrevivientes y hace recomendaciones a las agencias humanitarias a fin de que tales programas se diseñen y ejecuten con el objetivo explícito de auxiliar a los sobrevivientes del genocidio.

Keywords:

• Aid
• Conflict and reconstruction
• Gender and diversity
• Rights
• Social sector
• Sub-Saharan Africa

Notes

http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.476833/, retrieved 10 May 2009.

http://www.sendacow.org.uk/ourwork/countryoverviews/rwanda, retrieved 10 May 2009.

http://www.ajws.org/who_we_are/news/archives/features/we-actx_fighting_hivaids_in.html and http://www.ajws.org/where_we_work/africa/rwanda/rwandan_women_community.html, retrieved 10 May 2009.

http://www.jdc.org/jdc-worldwide-programs/non-sectarian.aspx?id=742, retrieved 10 May 2009.

http://plan-international.org/where-we-work/africa/rwanda, retrieved10 May 2009.

http://www.care.org/careswork/countryprofiles/93.asp, retrieved 10 May 2009.

http://www.cafod.org.uk/where-we-work/rwanda, 10 May 2009.

The German government funds some organisations addressing the needs of genocide survivors, but not on a large scale.

http://rwanda.worldvision.org.nz/worldvision/intro.html and http://www.worldvision.org/content.nsf/sponsor/sponsor-rwanda, retrieved 10 May 2009.

http://www.oxfam.org.uk/resources/countries/rwanda.html, retrieved 10 May 2009.

http://www.survivors-fund.org.uk/resources/reports/ar2007/table-of-contents.php, 10/5/09.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200804020211.html, retrieved 10 May 2009. According to IBUKA, more than 150 genocide survivors have been killed since the end of the genocide (‘Gang kills Rwandan genocide widow’, http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/may/15/rwanda; ‘156 genocide survivors and witnesses killed’, http://allafrica.com/stories/200903090569.html). 

AVEGA is the association of widows who survived the genocide. IBUKA is the umbrella organisation for NGOs supporting genocide survivors in Rwanda. AOCM is the association of orphans who survived the genocide. All three work to advance the rights and welfare of genocide survivors; their membership and leadership consist primarily of such survivors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Noam Schimmel

Noam Schimmel served as an intern in the Office of the Prosecutor at the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. He has published on human rights and development-related issues in the International Journal of Children's Rights, International Journal on Minority and Group Rights, Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies, Ethics and Education, and the Journal of Peace Education. <[email protected]>