Around the World, UNFPA joins hands with partners to provide support in humanitarian settings to save the lives of women and girls, with a special focus on sexual and reproductive health, and prevention of and response to Gender-Based Violence.

On 10th May 2022, Hon. Minister of Emergency Management, Marie-Solange Kayisire, the Ambassador of Japan in Rwanda H.E Masahiro Imai, and the UNFPA Representative Kwabena Asante-Ntiamoah inaugurated the maternity ward constructed in Mahama refugee camp, in collaboration with ALIGHT, with funds from the Government and the People of Japan. 

Tremendous efforts have been made in humanitarian settings by the Government of Rwanda (GoR) with its partners to strengthen health care delivery including maternal healthcare, Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services, promotion of gender equality, and prevention of Gender-Based Violence (GBV). 

Building on these efforts, UNFPA works with partners to strengthen the capacity of health facilities in refugee camps in Rwanda, to deliver quality Maternal Health, Sexual and Reproductive Health, and Gender-Based Violence prevention and response services. 

With support from the government and the people of Japan, UNFPA in collaboration with Alight constructed a maternity ward in Mahama Refugee camp in kirehe district, and supported a health facility managed by Save the Children in the same camp, equipped to ensure it meets the required criteria as a medicalized health facility.

At the inauguration of the maternity ward in Mahama camp, the Minister in the Ministry of Emergency Management, Hon. Marie-Solange Kayisire,  extended her appreciation to UNFPA and its implementing partners for the work done, with support from the government of Japan,  to ensure lives of mothers and newborns in humanitarian settings are safe. 

“My appreciation goes to UNFPA for their great support and all implementing partners for the good work in ensuring a safe delivery in combating SGBV and helping our young girls and boys to be educated in sexual reproductive health. Allow me to extend my appreciation to the Government and people of Japan for the generous cooperation and support in humanitarian settings especially in ensuring safe lives of mothers, and newborns as well as the sexual reproductive health and GBV prevention in the camp.”  Said Minister Kayisire. 

The inaugurated maternity ward will accommodate more maternal health care services; Antenatal Care, Postnatal Care, Family Planning (FP), Immunization service, and a room for Gender-Based Violence screening caseworkers, and will improve the quality of service delivery and save lives of Burundian and Congolese women and girls, refugees in Mahama camp. 

That will also be achieved thanks to medical equipment and furniture that have been procured by UNFPA with support from Japan, to equip the newly completed maternity ward facility.

"I am pleased to see the solid outcomes of this Project, in Mahama refugee camp, and to launch one of the main facilities of which the Project has strengthened the capacity. UNFPA and the implementing partners are carrying out the great project, and it is our pleasure to have been able to enhance their activities through our contribution" Masahiro Imai, Ambassador of Japan in Rwanda

Health services provided by this new facility will contribute  to increasing access to the maternal health and SRH services by women and girls and reduce preventable maternal mortality and morbidity in the Mahama Refugee Camp.  

"One of the benefits of this health center is that the services we normally get from Kirehe Hospital will now be close to us.  Kirehe Hospital is far away from the camp, making it difficult for a mother to access necessary health services, but this facility is in the camp, and everyone can access it easily. We are grateful to the government of Rwanda and its  partners who are always eager to improve the environment we live in and the access to quality health services."Said Ndikumwenayo Concilli, a refugee of  Mahama  camp. 

Women and Girls’ well-being, their Sexual and reproductive health, and rights are at the very heart of development and crucial to delivering the UNFPA vision — a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.

Japan’s support has allowed UNFPA and partners to continue to provide life-saving sexual and reproductive health services to women and girls in humanitarian settings in Rwanda to build their resilience.

“We extend our appreciation to the Government and people of Japan for their continuous support and commitments to our work and reaffirm our commitment to continue to assist the Government of Rwanda to uphold the dignity of refugees in general and women and girls in particular.” Said  Kwabena Asante-Ntiamoah.