• About Africa
• Rwanda
• Burundi

About Africa: About Rwanda

• Introduction
• The Effects of the Genocide on Rwandan Children
• HIV/AIDS in Rwanda
• Street Children in Rwanda
• Unicef and Rwanda
• Background on Rwanda

Introduction

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Rwanda is located in Central Africa and is bordered by the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), Uganda, Tanzania, and Burundi. The entire country is slightly smaller than the state of Maryland, yet it is one of the most densely populated countries in the world with a population of nearly 9 million.

The 100 days between April and July in 1994 are the darkest days in Rwandan history. During this relatively short time nearly 1 million Tutsi and moderate Hutu were slain in an extremely brutal and rapid genocide. This horrific event left families destroyed and society unstable. The conflict created a sense of both physical and emotional loss that makes it imperative for the country to move toward peace through the process of reconciliation.

• Rwanda is one of the poorest countries in the world. It ranks 158th out of 175 countries listed in the United Nations Development Program’s (UNDP) Human Development Index.
• 613,000 Rwandan children between the ages of 0 to 14 years old are orphans. (UNICEF)
• 42 per cent of Rwandan children under five years old are malnourished. (UNICEF)

• 88% of women have to walk for more than one hour to reach a health facility. (World Development Indicators).
• 90% of the population works in subsistence agriculture (WDI).
• 65% of the population lives below the poverty line (WDI).

• 1 in 5 children die before the age of five.
• Only 37% of children complete primary school.
• 14% of children complete secondary school.
• 1% of the population attends university. (WDI).

• By 2001, an estimated 264,000 children had lost one or both parents to AIDS, representing 43 percent of all orphans. This figure is expected to grow to over 350,000 by 2010. (UNICEF)

During the genocide, thousands of children were victims of brutal violence and rape. Countless young children, some just 7 years old, were forced to participate in military operations and commit unspeakable acts of violence. “The children of Rwanda witnessed unspeakable violence,” said UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy. “Tens of thousands lost their mothers and fathers. Thousands were victims of horrific brutality and rape. The impact of the tragedy simply cannot be overstated”

(Rwanda: Ten Years After the Genocide. http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/rwanda_genocide.html).

There are nearly 400,000 child-headed households in Rwanda. Children must take up responsibility at a very young age as many of their parents were killed in the genocide, or are in prison for genocide-related crimes. The high rate of HIV/AIDS has also taken its toll on the adult population of Rwanda, further raising the number of orphans.

The civil war and 1994 genocide had devastating effects in every facet of Rwandan society. Yet, the Rwandan youth bear the burden of the social, cultural, and economic repercussions. Every young person in Rwanda was impacted in some way; some lost their parents and siblings, others are now caring for elderly relatives that were infected with HIV/AIDS.

The Rwandan population is estimated at 8.6 million, and is expected to double to 16 million by the year 2020 at the current 3.2% growth rate per year. The youth, children below the age of 20, comprise 60% of this population and are affected the most by the social, cultural, political, and economic repercussions of conflict.