Today the Minister of Local Government Prof. Shyaka Anastase officiated the launch of $3M joint programme on accelerating integrated policy interventions of social protection in Rwanda which will be implemented in collaboration with One-UN in 5 Districts with high rate of extreme poverty.

The districts to receive the fund for implementation are Kirehe, Nyamagabe, Karongi, Rutsiro and Burera; where the Minister Shyaka urged the local administration to closely follow up and get fully involved in implementation of the project which will combine efforts from different sectors.

During the launch Minister Shyaka said: “The strong commitment of the Government of Rwanda is about eradicating poverty and achieving SDGs. The “leave no one behind” is embedded in Rwanda’s policy. We’re therefore happy to partner with One-UN.”

“I urge the 5 districts to be engaged in implementation of this project. Every Rwandan has right to live decent live.” He added.

To achieve the ambitious SDG targets in eliminating poverty and hunger, significantly reducing inequalities while working in a climate-smart manner, the UN in Rwanda in partnership with the Government of Rwanda with the Ministry of Local Government (lead), Ministry in charge of Emergency Management, Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources and Local Administrative Entities Development Agency developed a “Joint Programme on Accelerating Integrated Policy interventions to Promote Social Protection in Rwanda”. This programme aims to provide innovative and catalytic solutions to deliver transformative results to the nation’s existing social protection framework.

Aligned to the United Nations Development Plan for Rwanda (UNDAP 2018-2023), National Strategy for Transformation (NST1 2017-2024) and the Social Protection Strategic Plan (2018-2024), the Joint Programme specifically aims to attain the following results:

An integrated policy framework for social protection is effectively in place, linking cash transfers and subsidies with livelihood and economic empowerment (specifically women), disaster management and social service.

Innovative community mechanisms are in place to strengthen delivery of nutrition-sensitive, resilience-enhancing and adaptive social protection to vulnerable and food-insecure people, particularly in climate-shock prone areas, in a gender-sensitive way.

The joint programme will therefore address existing challenges at policy level by promoting increased policy coherence; at the system level reinforcing M&E systems; and at the community level supporting the most vulnerable households in the five targeted districts and piloting integrated social protection models.

The Joint Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Fund was set up by the Member States of the United Nations to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs globally has allocated 2,000,000 USD to the United Nations in Rwanda to implement the above mentioned programme. In addition, three implementing agencies will add their own resources to the joint programme with an amount of 1,040,000 USD putting the total available funds at 3,040,000 USD.

The programme will be implemented over a two-year period from 2020-2021 by UNICEF, WFP, FAO and the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator (RCO) with a coordinating role, through a partnership with the Government of Rwanda and national partners; Ministry of Local Government (MINALOC) as lead, Ministry in charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA), Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), and Local Administrative Entities Development Agency (LODA) focusing on Kirehe, Karongi, Burera, Nyamagabe, and Rutsiro Districts.