Rwanda joins other countries in a commitment to advocate for family-based care for all children across the globe

. The UK’s Foreign Secretary will lead a campaign to advocate for family-based care for all children across the globe
· The Foreign Secretary announces Global Charter to work with governments around the world to progressively end the use of children’s institutions
· Reform of care poised to transform economic and social development – delivering the Plan for Change
· Rwanda is poised to become the first nation in Africa to end the institutionalisation of children
Six countries across four continents, including Rwanda, have already signed up to a new global alliance launched last week by the UK’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy. This campaign will advocate for sustainable, lasting reform of children’s social care around the world.
Other partners include Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, Paraguay, the Philippines, UNICEF, and the UN Special Representative on Violence against Children.
British High Commissioner Alison Thorpe said:
“I am delighted that Rwanda has agreed to partner with the UK from day one on this vital campaign to reform children’s social care globally. The campaign will build on the amazing work and dedication by the Rwandan government, including securing support for the Kigali Declaration on Child Care and Protection Reform in 2022. I look forward to building on this momentum, jointly championing this cause, so we can strengthen the global alliance and improve the lives of children everywhere.”
Rwanda’s Tubarerere Mu Muryango (TMM) programme, part of the national childcare reform strategy yielded positive results in de-institutionalization of children. Over 90 per cent of the children without disabilities who were in institutional care since 2012 had been placed in family care by the end of 2022.
The Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion said:
“The Republic of Rwanda has the honour to announce its commitment to participate and collaborate with the Government of the United Kingdom to launch and promote the global campaign on children’s social care reform.
A child belongs to the family. Caring for vulnerable children is a responsibility of the whole community.”
The Foreign Secretary has pushed for every child across the globe to have the right to a safe and loving family environment.
The new commitment includes strengthening families to prevent child separation and championing alternative forms of family-based care, such as kinship care, where a child is cared for by a family member, relative or friend.
The alliance marks the first step in the UK’s campaign to progressively end the institutionalisation of children, which is up to 5 times more costly than family-based care. This will be followed by the launch of a Global Charter later this year.