XVI - The Role of Civil Society in Addressing Problems Faced by Victims in Post-Genocide Rwanda

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Writing about the role of ‘civil society’ in addressing problems faced by victims in post war and post genocide Rwanda is complex and challenging. The subject is too wide-ranging to be covered in one chapter and any attempt to do so would not do justice to the subject matter and the people it concerns. Such complexities exist for three main reasons.

Firstly, the definition of the civil society does not provide a border of clear bold lines and its composition is extremely vast. Civil society is understood as a complex of non-state / governmental organisations created for the promotion of a certain or some shared value(s) in society. It centres on a

(…) collective action around shared interests, purposes and values. In theory, its institutional forms are distinct from those of the state, family and market, though in practice, the boundaries between state, civil society, family and market are Often complex, blurred and negotiated. Civil society commonly embraces a diversity of spaces, actors and institutional forms, varying in their degree of formality, autonomy and power (…).

Civil society is believed to be composed of

registered charities, development non-governmental organisations, community groups, women's organisations, faith-based organisations, professional associations, trades unions, self-help groups, social movements, business associations, coalitions and advocacy group.

Discussing the role of civil society in a country like Rwanda where every person from at least a young age, is encouraged to belong to a certain mutual benefit cooperative or association for purposes of community development and social cohesion, is like being asked to tell a story about every Rwandan. Cooperatives which are coordinated by the Rwanda Cooperative Agency (RCA) bring together individuals in numerous professional categories, agriculturalists or farmers, small processing and marketing groups, workers/employees of different institutions, artisanal and handcraft s, fishery, consumers, youth and women.