Rwanda Initiative for
Sustainable Development

KIGALI – March 25, 2013.

Rwanda Initiative for Sustainable Development (RISD) in partnership with the Ministry of Justice (MINIJUST), will today officially launch the project “Securing Land Rights: Civil Society contribution to effectiveness of Land Reform”, in Southern Province, Muhanga District Although launched in one province, the project is implemented in all the four provinces of the country and Kigali City, covering a total of 10 Districts: Southern Province (Nyaruguru, Muhanga and Kamonyi); Western Province (Karongi & Rubavu); Northern Province (Musanze); Eastern Province (Kirehe & Kayonza); and Kigali City(Gasabo & Kicukiro).This is a three year project funded by the Royal Kingdom of the Netherlands, with contribution from GIZ and ICCO, with a budget of Rwf 674,631,735 (Six hundred and seventy four million , six hundred thirty one thousand, seven hundred and thirty five) equivalent to €832,879 (Eight hundred and thirty two thousand, eight hundred and seventy nine), and is implemented between March 1st 2012 –February 28th 2015. The project is implemented by RISD in partnership with Collectif des Ligues et Associations de Dėfence des Droits de l’Homme (CLADHO).

Rwanda Natural Resources Authority (RNRA) who has a long standing partnership with RISD is also in partnership of this project as the government institution responsible for all land related programs. Rwanda is going through a dynamic period of Land Reform implementation through a Land Tenure Regularization Program (LTRP). This initiative requires combined efforts of different stakeholders, given the land related challenges faced by the country, mainly: land scarcity; a fast growing population and a post- conflict situation that has created a problem of multiple land claims. This situation has increased land related disputes, hence the need for joint intervention. ‘This Land Rights project is timely and is a model project for effective joint intervention....the project focuses directly on the community; is implemented by two civil society organisations; is in partnership with both the Government of Rwanda and the Royal Kingdom of the Netherlands’,says Min.Tharcisse Karugarama, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General. Minister Karugarama further appreciatesthat, the project is directly supporting Abunzi by providing the Register books to document all cases received at both Cell and Sector levels with relevant forms to process the cases. ‘This is the first project that has provided this technical support and although in ten Districts, I am very hopeful that with the joint intervention approach of this project, it will be possible to avail the materialsto Abunzi in all the 30 districts of the Republic of Rwanda’, emphases the Minister. RISD has implemented different programs related to land since 1999, however, ‘this Land Rights project is indeed a different and special project in that, in addition to addressing land related disputes, the special added component of the project is the detailed documentation of pending cases’ states Bishop Nathan Gasatura, the Chairperson of RISD Board of Directors. The uniqueness of this project is that, this is the first project in the country where civil society has been jointly supported by both donors and government to this high level in the area of land, which RISD is proud of.
‘However, there is still a challenge ahead of maintaining this joint intervention and even expanding it to achieve the high expectations set in this project’, appeals the Chair of RISD, Bishop Gasatura.RISD highly appreciates the support and confidence demonstrated by both the Government of Rwanda and the Royal Kingdom of the Netherlands