reproductive health, antenatal health, nutrition and HIV prevention and management of HIV and other public health concerns. Volunteer Community Health workers play a key role in passing on health information and providing advice to the communities. 92. Improving women’s nutritional status: the Health Sector Strategic Plan III (2012-2018) envisages a number of interventions to improve the health status of Rwandans, with special attention to pregnant and lactating women and children. Strategic interventions with direct impact on women and children include strengthening and scaling up Community-Based Nutrition Programmes (CBNPs) to prevent and manage malnutrition in children under five years and pregnant and lactating mothers; eliminating micronutrient deficiencies; promoting food security at the household, community, and national level, and promoting behavior change communications for nutrition. These strategies are supported by other community-based initiatives such as “kitchen garden” (Akarima k’igikoni) campaign, which encourages every household to grow vegetables in their backyards and to eat a balance diet. 93. Rwanda adopted a gender and HIV Strategy in 2010. Gender equality and greater involvement and engagement of People Living with HIV and AIDS were key priorities of this national strategy. Another key initiative was the US$5.7 million national Accelerated Plan for Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV (2010-2014), which focused on addressing inequality and underlying factors that contribute to women and girls’ higher risk and vulnerability to HIV and AIDS. The plan lays emphasis on women and girls’ active participation and leadership, but highlights the importance of actively engaging men and boys to promote gender equality and protect the rights of women and girls. 94. Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission Therapy (PMTCT): Pregnant women in Rwanda have the right to four antenatal care visits during pregnancy. They are encouraged to take advantage of these visits to be tested for HIV, together with their spouses, so that they can be put on Preventive Mother to Child Control Therapy (PMTCT), if necessary. Currently, 82% of all health centers countrywide offer Page 94 of 105