Gaudence Mushimiyimana, one of the four Rwandan Women of Courage

CONGRATULATION Gaudence Mushimiyimana, co-founder and executive director of UNABU (Rwanda Organization of women with disabilities)

Gaudence Mushimiyimana is now one of the four Rwandan Women of Courage recognized and honoured by the US Ambassador of Rwanda, Peter H.Vrooman.

She became on March 11, 2021 one of the sixteen inspiring women honoured since 2015 for demonstrating exceptional courage, strength and leadership in advocating for social justice and especially for the rights of women and girls with disabilities.

After realizing "the lack of voice power confidence and appropriate space for girls and women with disabilities”, Gaudence established UNABU.

UNABU (Umuryango Nyarwanda w’Abagore Bafite Ubumuga) is an organization managed by women with disabilities, for women with disabilities. This organization promotes gender equality in Rwanda by encouraging women and girls with disabilities to gather and organize themselves into community self-advocacy groups.

Gaudence and all UNABU’s members aspire to "a society where girls and women with disabilities enjoy equal and fair opportunities and actively participate in the development of the country like other citizens."

 

Today, in UNABU there are 54 groups representing 6,000 girls and women with disabilities in 12 different distincts. The organization supports girls and women with disabilities in accessing justice, economic empowerment and leadership and as Gaudence says, to “ensure girls and women with disabilities are fully included in the society”