EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. The Government of Rwanda continues to ensure that all Rwandans enjoy the fundamental human rights secured by the Constitution and other national and applicable international human rights laws. The commitment to realize those fundamental rights is stated in the Country’s Vision 2020 and Economic Development Poverty Reduction Strategy 2 (EDPRS II) which form the baseline for every government policy and program. As Rwanda moves into the home stretch of realizing the objectives of the goals set out therein, the Government welcomes the opportunity provided by the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights to report on the progress made. 2. The African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) was adopted on June 27, 1981 and entered into force on 21 October 1986. Rwanda ratified the ACHPR on 15 July 1983 through the Presidential Order n°431/16 of 10 November 1980. Pursuant to Article 62 of the ACHPR each State Party has the obligation to submit a report every two years, on the legislative or other measures taken with a view to giving effect to the rights and freedoms recognized and guaranteed by the Charter. The present report is the combined 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th periodic report of Rwanda on the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights. 3. The report consists of Part A relating to the Charter itself, covering the period from 2009 to June 2016 and Part B which relates to the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo protocol) pursuant to its Article 261 and covering the period from June 2006 to June 2016. In this report, developments that have taken place in the application of the ACHPR in Rwanda since the previous report submission in 2009 are highlighted. As requested by the Commission on ACHPR, the report specifically under part II addresses the issues raised in the concluding observations adopted by the Commission after considering the 9th and 10th periodic Article 26 of the Protocol states that:” States Parties shall ensure the implementation of this Protocol at national level, and in their periodic reports submitted in accordance with Article 62 of the African Charter, indicate the legislative and other measures undertaken for the full realization of the rights herein recognized 1 Page 5 of 105