VUP is one of the Rwandan governmental strategies that established to eradicate extreme poverty within the country to all Rwandan without any discrimination. The study was conducted to the VUP beneficiaries in Karama sector, Huye district in Southern province of Rwanda.This research has the general objective of exploring the contribution of Vision Umurenge Program as one of the strategies used by the government to eradicate extreme poverty. The general questions of the study was to state the contribution of Vision Umurenge Program in eradicating the extreme poverty in Karama sector. The researcher used both descriptive and historical comparative method which helped him use percentages in the cross tabulation, and describes the background information of respondents and making comparative analysis of their life vis a vis the life they lived before being VUP beneficiaries. The researcher used interviews, questionnaires and documentation; the beneficiaries were selected randomly but focusing on the experiences and the information they have. The sample size of the study was 348 people taken from 2685 beneficiaries of VUP in Karama sector. After the data collection, the data were analyzed qualitatively helped the research to reach the conclusion and recommendation. The findings of the research showed that there is a big and pleased contribution of VUP in eradicating extreme poverty in Karama sector, through the comparison of the current lives of the beneficiaries with the life before, 90% of the respondent showed the great positive changes such as access to bank credits; education, health insurance and their social status as most of them became active participants in the community development. 78% has small animals such as goats, pigs while 45% own cows which helped them in the agricultural production increase through the use of manure. Despite the above positive impact, there was noted some challenges like corruption during selection of beneficiaries, delay in payment, lucky of serious follow-up, insufficient earnings especially in family which has a size of one person when he/she is a beneficiary of direct support. Although these challenges, VUP has played a big role in eradication of extreme poverty to its beneficiaries in Karama sector. The study gives the recommendations to different stakeholders such as government officials, civil society organizations and beneficiaries.

The study aims to assess the effectiveness of the JWC in reducing DVAW: a Case Study of Apo Resettlement Layout in FCT-Abuja, Nigeria. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to gather data in order to evaluate the effect(s) of the independent on the dependent variable. Emile Durkheim’s structural functionalism as well as the social exchange theories were engaged throughout the study to understand, analyse and interpret both variables and the interplay between them. The key findings in the study indicated that the JWC has been effective in ensuring the safety of women through arrests of male perpetrators and assisting in referrals for employment and economic empowerment of women.The JWC has significantly promoted collaborative activities denouncing violence against women among the local leaders as well as through the prompt arraignment of male suspects in court for trial. However, it has been ineffective in providing witness/victim protection services to enable the victims follow through the prosecution process which is their obligation, and to support the management, promotion of community collaboration to combat DVAW, provision of counselling and psychological care to DVAW victims and the arrangements for shelters for them as well. Finally the significant challenges encountered by the JWC in their work, identified during the study were; NPF institution’s marginalization of the JWC, economic disempowerment of women, ineffective collaborative frameworks between line agencies and discriminatory socio-cultural norms, beliefs and attitudes.The study concludes that the NPF JWC in Nigeria needs institutional reforms in its activities which will increase reportage of DVAW significantly and reinforce existing social networks for greater impacts in combating DVAW. The general recommendation is that the Nigeria Police Force should reposition and strengthen the JWC to deliver more interventions that will combat domestic violence against women more significantly.

Urban green spaces (UGS) have to be well managed and protected by legal and institutional framework. In Kigali City, UGS have experienced dramatic losses and damages due to rapid urban population growth, poor urban planning, degradation and poor consideration of environment. The legal and institutional framework helps to achieve the safeguard and sustainable management of trees, forests, wetlands, and gardens in Kigali City. This study under the title “The Impact of Regulations, Legal and Institutional Framework on Management and Protection of Green Spaces in Kigali City, Rwanda: case of Kacyiru Sector in Gasabo District” aimed at determining and analysing the policies, regulations, legal and institutional framework, their implementation, their impacts, constraints, and possible solutions to enhance and enforce their relevance and effectiveness on UGS in Kigali City. It was hypothesised that the good implementation, enforcement and enhancement of regulations and laws can increase and improve the management and protection of UGS in Kigali City. The researcher used documentary and descriptive research design with analytical focus and he used both qualitative and quantitative approaches in data analysis and interpretation. Secondary data were used through documentation review, and primary data were collected through interviews with officers in charge of greening and urban green spaces in Kigali City. The questionnaire was addressed to local community in Kacyiru Sector with sample size of 156 people. The findings of the study revealed that poor environment consideration, poor monitoring and follow up, lack of participatory approach and budget, corruption, and illegal usage of UGS etc. are challenges in implementation of related legal framework. However they revealed that the increase of UGS, UGS mainstreaming, kitchen gardens, and buildings removal in wetlands etc. are among the positive impacts of legal framework on UGS in Kacyiru Sector. The findings suggested that public awareness, participatory approach, budget and compensation, implementation of Kigali City Master Plan (KCMP), legal review and update, and fair planning and monitoring etc. are possible solutions enhancing the relevance and effectiveness of legal and institutional framework in improving, preserving and maintaining UGS in Kacyiru Sector.

The debate on urban open spaces is likely to reach it’s culminate point in the high incomes countries, moreover in the middle and low income countries like Rwanda, the debate is still on going. In view of this study had objective to assess, examine and explore the effect of Urban Open Spaces on Social Welfare and Tax Revenues in Rwanda. To overcome, the study used a mixed methods research design. A random sample of 257 of Rwandan inhabitants was used but one was dropped out because his interview was incomplete and the analysis indicated that 139 (54.3 %) were the male and 117 (45.7 %) were the female. Findings on variations of citizen perceptions on urban open spaces could be explained by two variables such as tax revenues and Social welfare; however, the contribution of tax revenue was estimated to 16.4% while both tax revenues and social welfare contribute to the variations of the perceptions at 18.8%. This study suggests that a policy should be enforced for the development of master plan and better planning of urban open spaces of Rwandan cities with regard to the development of urban open spaces in the capital and other cities of Rwanda.

In the world economy, countries as well as organisations refer to borrowing to cover the deficit in their balance of payment whereby they contract loans with many lenders through a syndicated loan due to the fact that the targeted project exceeds the lending limit of one bank. The formation of a syndicate commences with the borrower granting a mandate to a bank or group of banks which is referred to as Lead bank or arranger and the latter mandate authorizes the formation of a syndicate for a named purpose on certain terms and conditions contained in a term sheet and the bank that is given the mandate to organize syndication is referred to as the arranger. Once the loan syndication is successful and the Agreement is signed, the bank which was responsible for the formation of the syndicate and the negotiation of the Agreement is replaced by the Agent bank but in practice, both functions are normally performed by the same bank. Interestingly, the syndicate is formed in a structure that makes the determination of relationships and liabilities complicated as the arranger who served in the capacity of an intermediate between the borrower and participants to the syndication may be seen to be liable to both the borrower and lenders. Additionally, since each lender is a member of the syndicate and a party to the loan documents, the borrower has a direct contractual relationship with each member of the lending syndicate and it may be inferred from the latter that the borrower may be directly liable to lenders and vice versa. This research focused the relationship between the arranger/agent bank with the borrower on one hand and with lenders on the other hand but also the extent of their liability in the loan syndication structure.

The purpose of the research was to do “An Assessment on Community-Police relationship in Liberia “A Case of the Paynesville ELWA Community, Montserrado County as lack of corporation and support by community members due passed history of the police involvement into extra judiciary activities and human rights violation could be recognized as stalling factors that led to the poor community-police relationship in the Paynesville ELWA community, Montserrado County. While, the administration of the Liberia National Police try to develop a workable strategy or strategies by creating awareness on the role of the community in assisting the police on crime prevention through community policing this thesis seeks to do an assessment on community-police relationship in Liberia “A case of Paynesville ELWA community, Montserrado County. ” The method used in this research was both Quantitative and Qualitative Methods of data collection and analyze data used is descriptive and the grounded theory techniques. The population used in this study was 400 and the sample size was 40 which represent 10% of the entire study population. The key finding shows that out of the 40 respondents (100%), 28 respondents (72%) of the 40 respondents asserted that the community inhabitants and police have a good relationship and as such they assist the police on law enforcement process in the community compared to 7 respondents (15%) who said that that they have a very poor relationship with the police‟. Still, 5 respondents (13%) asserted that there was „passive relationship‟. At the same time, out of the 40 respondents interviewed, 23 respondents (56%) said „Yes‟ that the community carries out community policing activities in the area whilst 17 respondents (44%) said „No‟ that the community does carry out community policing activities in the area. This means that majority of the respondents asserted that the community inhabitants and the police have a very good relationship and majority respondents said „Yes‟ that the community carries out community policing activities in the area. Finally, the Liberia National Police (LNP) reactivates the Community Policing Forum so as to enable community and the police enhance their relationships as well as discuss pertinent issues relative to the upgrade of security in the community. Therefore, the LNP should ensure a prompt responding process whenever called upon by the community inhabitants on issues of crimes during the process of community-police relationship in the Paynesville ELWA community, Montserrado\County

In Rwandan family gender-based violence against men cover the discrimination based on one’s sex, imbalance in power in the decision-making aspect, labor division without justification; abuse in terms of beating and other forms of violence physically; deprivations in economic terms, humiliation, insults, killings and intimidations (UMURERWA, 2015). The thesis entitled “Gender Based Violence against Men and its Socioeconomic Effects on Household in Rwanda. Case study of KICUKIRO District GAHANGA Sector” The general objective of this work was to assess socio-economic effects of gender-based violence against men on household in Rwanda. From the general objective, the following specific objectives were formulated: to find out perceptions of men on gender based violence against them in their daily lives, to assess forms of gender based violence against men in their households, to analyze how Gender Based Violence against men affect socioeconomically the household in Rwanda and to analyze ways to alleviate and prevent the GBV against men in Rwandan family. To achieve those objectives, the data was collected from a sample of 97 men selected in GAHANGA Sector. The techniques used in data collection include documentation, focused group discussions to note narratives of participants and interview. According to analysis and interpretation of data, it was found that there is gender-based violence against men in Rwandan family as confirmed by the majority of respondents. The study found that GBV against men varies in different forms like sexual violence, social violence, physical violence, psychological violence and economic violence. Furthermore sexually transmitted diseases including HIV; death and loss of body parts; poverty and other economic problems; trauma and other psychological problems; marital dissolutions and family conflict in the family; spousal suicide culture in the community and lack of education for children are social and economic effects of GBV in Rwandan family. The strategies include to promote gender equality and prevent GBV in education sector; to strengthen understanding of gender and positive norms; to mobilize government and media to GBV against men; to improve coordination and messaging on GBV against men; to reduce vulnerability of most at risk groups to GBV, provide comprehensive services to victims of GBV and improve accountability and eliminate impunity for GBV. All objectives were achieved.

A large number of wildlife survives outside protected areas on farmlands, pasturelands, and urban areas. Among all faunas, birds are one of most present wild animals in cities. Birds fulfill many ecological functions in their habitats, playing an important role in seed dispersal of fleshy fruit-producing plants. The landscape of the Musanze District has been undergoing major changes due to rapid urbanization driven by a fast growing human population. To ensure that bird-provided ecosystem services in Musanze City, Rwanda, are enjoyed by communities at an appropriate level for both current and next generation, a study of the effect of urban fabric lay out on its bird diversity and distribution was conducted. Linear mixed models (LMM) were used to assess whether landscape types have an effect on bird abundance and diversity. The Shannon‟s diversity index was used to identify the diversity of bird species in Musanze City. One Albertine Rift endemic bird species, the Ruwenzori double-collared sunbird (Cinnyris stuhlmanni) was recorded. Three migratory birds were found in Musanze City for the first time: the Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos), the Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata) and the Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus). Two bird species have not been previously reported in Rwanda: the Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin) and the Lesser Spotted Eagle (Aquila pomarina). An effect of city landscape types on the bird richness and relative abundance was also highlighted; residential neighborhood, institutional grounds and informal settlements were found to have highest species diversity indices compared to the rest of micro-landscape types. Riverside emerged as the landscape type with a specialized bird fauna, which are known to be restricted to the wetland environment. However, as a whole, built-up and open field categories had comparable results. Scavengers appeared to contribute more to biomass recycling than any other bird category. This study should help urban decision makers take into account the existence of a great diversity of avian fauna when developing and implementing land use plans, especially when villages and cities are in proximity of protected areas or natural reserves. Botanical gardens and public parks should be included in the master plan of the City.

This research was conducted with the purpose to assess the impact of the 12-year basic education to Congolese refugee children. The specific objectives of my study were: a) To investigate the perceptions and opinions of the major stakeholders about the nature and quality of education given to Congolese refugees in Rwanda. b) To determine the effectiveness and relevance of the Rwandan government integration programme of combining Congolese refugees to study with Rwandan Children. c) To identify education challenges affecting Congolese refugee children in Rwanda. d) To examine the relevance of Rwandan curriculum to Congolese refugee children in Rwanda and e) To provide or suggest solutions towards educational challenges faced by Congolese refuge children. I adopted a mixed design that combined qualitative and quantitative approaches. I also used a survey and case study methods to address the problem under study. I used questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussion to collect opinions, ideas suggestions and advices from 76 respondents composed of 4 camp leaders and education staff, 9 secondary teachers, 27 senior six students, 26 refugee youth who completed senior 6 and 10 parents. The study found that different stakeholders agree that refugee children in Mugombwa receive quality education. The integration of Congolese refugee students into government schools has been a success, both students and parents are very grateful and do not feel isolated rather fully integrated. This study also found that one of the key challenges faced by refugee youth is unemployment after completing secondary school and limited scholarships to tertiary education. Based on these findings, the study concluded that the completion of secondary school does not necessarily assist students in improving neither their own well-being nor their families‟ standard of living. The French language which is not favored at the same level as English was mentioned as a crucial problem to Congolese parents and students when, one day, they go back to their mother land (Congo) which is a French speaking country. It was also found that, irrespective of language boundaries, the Rwandan curriculum is relevant to the Congolese refugee children. In order to address the issues faced by Congolese refugee students and youth who have completed S6, MINEMA and UNHCR should encourage and support NGOs to initiate youth livelihood activities that could support those who have completed secondary school, engage negotiations with MINEDUC so that French can also be taught at the same level as English, reinforce advocacy to get more tertiary education scholarships to Congolese refugees after completing S6, support the integration of refugee students into government schools in other Congolese camps such as Gihembe and Kiziba.

Rwanda has invested a lot in reconciling Rwandans after the Genocide against the Tutsi, which tore the social fabric, in the country. The forums to ease truth telling in the country were established and in 25 years after the Genocide, genocide perpetrators and survivors are able to live in one village known as a reconciliation village. This is a great achievement if we consider the extent to which the genocide tore the Social fabric and here a question comes in. What was the contribution of truth telling to this reconciliation? This study explored the contribution of truth telling to reconciliation from genocide survivors and perpetrators’ perspective in post-genocide Rwanda. A qualitative approach was used whereby 25 respondents were purposively selected from The KIMONYI Reconciliation Village and interviewed. The study used semi-structured interviews and documentary to collect data and a hermeneutic interpretative analysis for data analysis and interpretation. The study has shown that truth telling played and continues to play a big role in reconciliation in post-genocide Rwanda. It removes confusion about what happened, it qualifies the offence committed, it prevents denial and revisionism of the genocide. It identifies perpetrators and the victims. It provides information with the victims about what happened to their loved ones. The findings revealed that Confessions, remorse, apology and forgiveness played a very big role. It eased the process of prosecuting offenders; it removed suspicion among the people from the perpetrator and victim groups. It also reassures victims that perpetrators have now renounced to evil. In addition, it relieves perpetrators who apologise. Furthermore, forgiving relieves and heals. It prevents survivors from grudge and vengeance, and increases trust, confidence, and fosters social cohesion. As far as testimonies are concerned, the research has found that they heal survivors; and help in young generation education. However, they could cause post-traumatic stress disorders to not only those who give their testimonies but also other people because they do not digest information the same way. The study findings asserted that truth telling contributed and continues to contribute much on reconciliation in post-genocide Rwanda. However, its side effects should not be ignored and therefore should be dealt with by competent institutions.