Empowering 500 Rwandan women living with HIV/AIDS

Women living with HIV/AIDS in Rwanda continue to face deep-rooted discrimination, particularly in housing, employment, and property inheritance. Many endure stigma from landlords, are excluded from family assets, and are victims of gender-based violence. These injustices not only strip women of their rights but also rob them of dignity, safety, and the opportunity to rebuild their lives.

To address this, Human Rights First Rwanda Association organized a series of free legal aid clinics across Kamonyi District, reaching out to HIV-positive women who had nowhere else to turn. Our trained legal professionals provided:

• One-on-one legal consultations
• Rights awareness sessions tailored to women living with HIV
• Mediation support to prevent litigation and restore family trust

Thanks to this initiative, several landmark outcomes were achieved:

• Women successfully reclaimed land unlawfully taken from them
• Mothers regained custody of their children through legal support
• Families were protected from unlawful eviction through mediation and advocacy

We also invested in sustainability by training 20 HIV-positive women as paralegals over a 3-day intensive course. These women now serve as community rights defenders, capable of providing legal guidance, documenting violations, and accompanying victims to relevant services.

Impact Scorecard:

• 36 cases related to inheritance, property disputes, and violence against women and girls living with HIV were resolved
• Participants were educated on national policies and laws protecting their rights under Rwandan and international human rights frameworks

With your continued support, more HIV/AIDS-affected women in Kamonyi District can break the cycle of stigma, discrimination, and vulnerability. Your partnership enables them to live lives rooted in justice, free from marginalization, and filled with dignity. Let’s ensure that no woman living with HIV is left behind in the fight for equality and empowerment.