INERELA+ Rwanda participated in the one-day high-level meeting held on the 4th of October 2023 in Kigali, Rwanda. The Meeting was organized by the Africa Platform for Social Protection (APSP) in collaboration with the Rwanda Civil Society Platform (RCSP). The meeting brought together key stakeholders from the Social Protection sector, members of the RCSP, the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Local Government, the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB), and the Local Human Rights Organization.
The meeting aimed at creating awareness of the AU Protocol on Social Protection and Social Security. The protocols were formally adopted by the 54 African Union (AU) members. They were developed because of the realization that the vast majority of people in Africa are not appropriately covered by formal social protection provisions. This will help AU member states in shaping their Social Protection policies.
It emerged in the meeting that the Protocol now needs the following:-
- Signed by Member States
- Ratified by at least 15 Member States
- Instruments deposited at the AU
- The protocol comes into force
At the present moment, only Niger and Sao Tome and Principe have signed and no Country has ratified. There’s still a long way to go.
During the consultative meeting, the participants emphasized the importance of ratifying the AU Protocol on Social Protection and Social Security by the government of Rwanda. The meeting pinpointed several specific actions that needed to be taken, which were to popularise the protocol, mobilize for public support, form /expand the Committee for the advocacy and the ratification of the protocol, and develop different awareness-raising materials on the protocol. It was also agreed that accomplishing this objective necessitates the cooperation of the government, civil society, and other stakeholders.
As participants, INERELA+ Rwanda through the Country Coordinator, Celestin Bigirimana committed to raising awareness and capacitating religious leaders and the public about the importance of ratifying the protocols. This will help Religious leaders to actively participate in the promotion of the signing of these protocols.