Union the organization of the Pan African Dance Festival (FESPAD) every
two years.
144. The State promotes museums countrywide ranging from the national
museum in Butare with its specialized branches spread across the country,
such as the Natural History Museum at Nyarugenge/Kigali (2006), the Arts
Museum at Rwesero (2006), the Museum of Ancient History at
Rukali/Nyanza (2008) as well as another branch at the Ex-State House in
Kanombe.
Article 18: Protection of the Family, Elimination of Discrimination against
Women and Protection of the Rights of the Child.
(a) Protection of the family and elimination of discrimination against
women
145. The Constitution of the Republic of Rwanda of 2003 as revised in 2015
provides for protection of the family as the natural foundation of the
Rwandan society. The Rwandan Constitution as well as other family law
legislation provides that marriage has to occur by free consent and spouses
have the same rights and duties during marriage and divorce. Rwanda
ratified the Convention on the Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age of
Marriage and Registration of Marriages and the Convention on the
Nationality of Married Women in December 2002. The institution of marriage
in Rwanda is governed by the new law Nº27/2016 of 08/07/2016 governing
matrimonial regimes, donations and successions.
146. The Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion and the Gender Monitoring
Office are key institutions which follow monitor all matters pertaining to
family and ensure that gender is respected in sectors of government. Couples
in common marriages are sensitised and encouraged to enter into a civil
marriage, and this plays an important role in protecting the right to
succession mainly for women and children. Rwanda has ratified the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
Women and its optional protocol as well as the Protocol to the African
Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa. As
mentioned in previous report, the Government of Rwanda has put in place
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